An electrical and hardware shop in Vembayam was gutted in a major fire that sparked tense moments on Saturday evening. A worker was killed in the incident.
While the fire that broke out in the four-storied building that stored paints among other products was contained within four hours, the fire fighters and the police could not rescue the deceased, Nizamudeen of Chiramukku who was trapped in the building.
According to official sources, the incident occurred at the Vembayam junction around 7.30 p.m. While traders and other were evacuated from nearby shops in the busy area, the information of Nizamudeen being stranded in one of the floors in the building sparked panic. He was later found charred to death.
Nearly 15 fire tenders from fire stations in Venjaramoodu, Attingal, Nedumangad, Kadakkal, Chakka and Chengalchoola were pressed into service to bring the outbreak under control. Traffic along the MC Road was disrupted for a long while. While short circuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire, a loss of ₹4 crore has been estimated, according to preliminary findings .
