Four shops gutted in fire at East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram

Four shops were completely gutted in a major fire that broke at the city bus stand near East Fort around noon

Four shops were completely gutted in a major fire that broke at the city bus stand near East Fort around noon on Tuesday. A total of six fire engines, rushed to the spot from nearby fire stations, took over an hour to bring the fire under control.

According to Fire and Rescue Services officials, the fire is estimated to have originated from a tea shop, after a cooking gas cylinder burst.

Officials at the Chenkalchoola Fire Station said that the first report of fire was received at 12.05 p.m, following which three fire engines each were sent from the Chenkalchoola and Chacka fire stations. Those who were in the area when the fire broke out said the fire was preceded by a bursting sound, which is assumed to be from the gas cylinder. Personnel in an emergency vehicle from the station, who were in the area, had noticed the fire immediately after it broke out and alerted the fire station, which aided in the swift response.

People were shifted away from near the shop and the bus bay by the time the fire engines began the operation to put out the fire. The fire had spread from the tea shop to a lottery vending shop and two mobile sales and service shops located close to it.

All the four shops were completely gutted by the time the fire was doused. Residents and shopkeepers from the area as well as employees from the KSRTC depot nearby joined in the efforts to douse the fire quickly before it spread to the nearby shops in the crowded commercial area. The losses sustained in the fire across the four shops is yet to be ascertained. No one was injured.

Transport Minister Antony Raju and General Education Minister V.Sivankutty visited the area and assessed the situation.