ALAPPUZHA: The safety of houseboats has come under the scanner again with two houseboats catching fire here on Thiruvonam day. The houseboats- Penbow (single bedroom) and The Venice (three bedrooms) – caught fire around 6 a.m.
The fire broke out in Penbow first, which was fully destroyed, and spread to the other, which suffered partial damage. There were no casualties.
The fire and rescue force and local people put out the fire and prevented it from spreading. At least 300 houseboats are usually berthed there.
Mr Muraleedharan, SI, Tourism Police, said that Shaji, the employee in the first boat, was drunk when the incident took place. “The exact reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained. It might have started from the kitchen,” he said.
This is the third accident here in a month. Earlier, two houseboats had capsized in the backwaters within two days. A total of 51 domestic tourists belonging to six families from Alappuzha, Thrissur, Idukki, Kannur and Kattappana escaped miraculously.
On June 20, a raid carried out by a police team had found 250 houseboats without valid documents. But, so far no action has been taken against them. There is no permanent fire and rescue squad. On Friday, it was the fire and rescue team of KSRTC which put out the fire.
In January 2012, the houseboat owners association and houseboat operators association had called on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy demanding the setting up of a mini fire station at the finishing point here. But nothing has materialised so far.
At least 659 licensed houseboats and 248 shikharas are plying in the backwaters of Alappuzha. Of these, only 700 boats have passed stability tests while 5,500 persons were given licences as crew members.
“The carelessness of the employees is often the reason for the fire accidents. Action will be taken against the drunken employee in the boat that was gutted on Friday,” said Mr C. Pradeep, secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council.
