KOCHI: An automobile workshop was completely gutted in a major fire mishap at Irumbanam in the wee hours of Wednesday.
According to the officials of Fire and Rescue Service Department, timely action averted a major disaster as the workshop was located close to a petrol bunk.
It was around 3 am when the residents spotted major fire at the workshop run by a person named Thomas Mathew. Soon the Fire and Rescue Service officials were informed who rushed to the place from Tripunithura station within 10 minutes.
"Four units of fire tenders from Tripunithura, Gandhi Nagar and Trikakkara were switched in for dousing the fire. It took more than 2 hours to bring fire under control. Two tempo vans and tools in the workshop burned off. Short circuit is suspected to be reason behind the accident. A loss of around Rs 25 lakhs is estimated to have taken place," an official of Fire and Rescue Service said.
The officials said when they reached the spot, the entire shop was in flames and they first tried to stop fire spreading to localities where petrol bunk is functioning. For this the gas cylinder and refrigerator inside the shop was taken out. "There was no basic fire fighting equipment in the shop. Since
residents spotted the fire in right time, major disaster would be averted,"official said.