Blaze engulfs forested land at Menamkulam

A massive fire broke out in a forested area at Menamkulam near Kazhakuttom on Thursday. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The fire broke out around 1.30 p.m. on the land under the control of the Industries Department, close to vital installations including the Women’s Battalion and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.’s LPG filling plant.

Nearly 20 fire force units deployed from various parts of the district, including the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, were pressed into service. It took nearly three hours to bring the fire under control.

According to official sources, the fire first erupted deep inside the forested portion of the land, which has remained overgrown and unattended for several years. The fire is suspected to have spread rapidly to other areas due to dry weather conditions, strong winds, and high temperatures. However, the circumstances that led to the outbreak are yet to be known.

Thick smoke engulfed the surrounding areas, causing discomfort to nearby residents. As a precautionary step, personnel from the Women’s Battalion were evacuated. Though there are no houses immediately adjacent to the fire-hit zone, the presence of residential areas a short distance away increased concern.

The firefighters focused on containing the blaze to a limited zone and creating firebreaks to stop it from advancing toward nearby residential areas and industrial establishments.

Local residents accused the authorities of neglecting the upkeep of the land, which had earlier housed the National Games Village, a residential complex constructed for the 35th National Games in 2015. Scrap materials and debris have since lied there unattended, they alleged.

Major fire in Kovalam

Meanwhile, another major fire was reported in Kovalam, where nearly 20 acres of land were gutted. The residents from two houses in the area were evacuated. Firefighters managed to douse the flames after intense efforts.

In another incident, a minor fire incident was also reported at the Legislators Hostel. The incident occurred in a room on the second floor of the Periyar Block.

The fire is suspected to have broken out near a computer. Preliminary findings indicate that a short circuit may have caused the fire.

The hostel staff managed to control the flames before the arrival of the firefighters.