Massive fire in Connemara market at Palayam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A massive fire broke out in the century-old Connemara market at Palayam in the city on Wednesday destroying several big and small shops. The shops in the northern part of the market were the ones that the fire, that broke out around 4.30 am, consumed. According to sources, about 15 shops, including several vegetable shops, a wholesale fruit stall, a footwear shop and several other small shops that sold domestic utensils, were affected, damaging the goods inside. Since the fire broke out early in the morning, no casualties were reported. When someone who spotted the fire informed the Fire and Rescue Services personnel, they rushed to the area and put out the flames, thereby preventing the fire from spreading to the other areas of the market, that  had been renovated recently. It took as many as six units of fire fighters, four from the Fire and Rescue Services station at Rajaji Nagar and two from Chakkai station, to put out the fire. The operations of the fire fighters were led by Assistant Divisional Officer Reni Lukose and Station Officer S S Prince. Ministers V S Sivakumar and P K Kunhalikutty, City Mayor K Chandrika and other political leaders visited the market and inspected the fire-affected shops. Forensic experts also visited the scene and collected evidence. The primary assumption of the authorities is that the fire had spread from a kerosene stove kept inside one of the shops. The authorities  dismissed the possibility of an electric short circuit leading to the fire as none of the shops that went up in flames had a proper electricity connection. About three years ago, a similar fire had broken out in the market. Then, the police had collected evidence strong enough to support the theory that someone had deliberately started the fire. But the investigation had reached nowhere. Some of the vendors in the market alleged that the fire that broke out on Wednesday too was an act of arson. The Cantonment police have registered a case in this regard. The authorities have estimated the loss at around Rs 10 lakh.