Watch: Houseboat catches fire in Kerala, passengers escape unharmed

16 people, including 3 toddlers, had a narrow escape when a houseboat caught on fire near Alappuzha in Kerala. The fire had started in the kitchen and spread quickly. Passengers jumped into the water, which was only 5 ft deep, to save themselves. Two speedboats were needed for the rescue operation because the first one sank near the sandbar. A short-circuit or gas leak is suspected to have caused the accident, which left the boat charred.