Thiruvananthapuram: Shopkeepers and residents near PRS Hospital had a providential escape as firemen swung into action and contained a fire that ravaged Karamana arcade on Thiruvananthapuram-Kaliyikkavila highway on Saturday morning.
The damage was estimated at Rs 6 lakh as the fire damaged the building that houses mattress, tyre showrooms and the LIC office.
According to fire and rescue officials, the trigger was a suspected short circuit from a generator around 9 45 am. Firemen received a call some five minutes after the fire was spotted and fumes billowed from the rooftop. Around seven fire engines from Chackai and Chenkalchoola rushed into service.
“Two youths, who reached the shop, had a narrow escape and alerted the officials. The soft-top roof was gutted in the fire and since the stored goods comprised mattress, the fire spread in no time,” said an official.
The fire was put out by a squad comprising 35 firemen by around 11.20 am.
The peak hour traffic along the arterial road to Kanyakumari was thrown off gear as fire tenders battled flames and cordoned off nearby shops
