A major fire broke out at a textile shop on TD Road near the busy Ernakulam market area on May 27 morning. The fire was spotted at the shop named K. V. Babu and Sons around 10.30 am at the busy cloth bazar road in Broadway.
Fire tenders from several units fought the fire, which spread to nearby shops. Thick fumes engulfed the area, causing breathing difficulty to people in the neighbourhood.
After struggling for nearly an hour, fire and rescue officials controlled the fire
As many as 12 units of fire tenders were pressed into action in the morning after the news of the fire broke out. Traders from the region said the fire was spotted before the shops were opened for business on the day. The shop was in a two-floor building, K.C. Pappu and Sons.
The primary focus of the firefighters were to contain the spread of fire into nearby shops. The narrow pathway of Broadway was the major hindrance in accessing the fire area, said K.K. Shiju, Regional Fire Officer. The fire tenders had to be lined up one after the another in a queue as there was limited space for the vehicles to move, he said.
The primary focus of the firefighters were to contain the spread of fire into nearby shops. T
It is suspected that a short circuit problem might have triggered the fire. The exact cause of fire could be determined only after a detailed inquiry, he said.
District Collector K Muhamed Y. Safarulla said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
Mayor blames the traders
The encroachment of the pathways and illegal developments carried out by the traders in their shops should be blamed for the accident, said Soumini Jain, Kochi Mayor.
She added that whenever the local body acted against the violations, there were interferences from the power centres. Traders exert pressure on the administration through various sources and stall the action. The civic administration needs the cooperation of the traders to curb the illegal practices and violations in the city, she said.
Also read: More high-rises fail in fire safety compliance
