Stationery products stocked for the Onam market at the warehouse in Angamaly were destroyed; the cause is yet to be ascertained
The blaze started around 3.45pm in the warehouse of a wholesale stationery store operating near the railway station and the private bus stand in Angamaly.
The highly inflammable material caused the fire to spread rapidly, fire and rescue officials said. The warehouse had been stocked with stationery items, including plastic products, for the Onam market. A major tragedy was averted as the incident occurred during the Onam holiday, and workers inside the warehouse escaped soon after the fire broke out. Heavy traffic congestion on the national highway initially hampered firefighting operations, until police regulated traffic and cleared the way for fire tenders to reach the site.
Kochi : A massive fire broke out in a warehouse near the national highway in Angamaly on Tuesday afternoon.
“His condition is stable,” said a fire officer. The shop owner, however, suffered minor burns and injuries after falling while trying to get out, and was admitted to a nearby hospital. The warehouse was completely gutted. Eleven fire tenders were pressed into service, with teams from Angamaly, Perumbavoor, Aluva, Chalakudy, North Paravoor, Mala, Eloor and Gandhi Nagar rushing to the spot. Their immediate priority was preventing the fire from spreading to nearby houses and commercial establishments.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel brought the blaze under control after an extensive operation by 6.30pm, though work continued into the night to fully douse it.
A forensic team will conduct inspections to identify the cause and estimate the damage,” said a fire official. Thick black smoke billowing from the gutted warehouse triggered panic in the area. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. “There are reports that some welding work was going on in the vicinity. However, only a scientific investigation can establish whether it had any connection to the fire.