THRISSUR: Over 500 two-wheelers parked in the bike parking area at the platform 2 entrance of Thrissur Railway Station were gutted in a major fire that broke out early on Sunday morning.
The fire broke out around 6:30 am and was first noticed by a woman staff member of the parking management, who alerted others. Fire and rescue personnel from Thrissur station rushed to the spot, but by then the flames had spread rapidly as the two-wheelers were parked in closely packed rows.
According to Mallika, a staff member at the parking area, she saw a spark fall from an electric cable onto a parked bike. “The bike was covered with a polythene sheet and it caught fire immediately. The fire then spread after the fuel tank burst with a loud sound. I got frightened and called for help,” she said.
A group of youngsters who gathered at the spot attempted to douse the flames using a fire extinguisher, but failed as the bikes were parked in very close proximity.
Revenue Minister K Rajan visited the site and sought a report on the incident. A major tragedy was averted as the staff noticed the fire in time and the fire and rescue team reached the spot promptly. Had the flames spread to the railway station premises, it could have resulted in a severe disaster.
Train services were not affected as the fire was brought under control within half an hour. No casualties were reported, though the number of two-wheelers destroyed is expected to exceed 500.