Major fire guts footwear factory in Kerala’s Malappuram

A footwear factory was gutted in a major fire at Aravankara in Malappuram district of Kerala on Friday, Fire and Rescue Service officials said.

According to officials at the Malappuram Fire and Rescue Service station, a distress call was received around 11.50 am following which personnel rushed to the spot.

They said the blaze was severe, with about 80% of the manufacturing unit, raw material storage area and godown being destroyed.

More than 10 fire tenders from Malappuram, Thirur, Ponnani, Perinthalmanna, Manjeri and Meenchantha stations were pressed into service to douse the flames.

Considering the intensity of the fire, precautionary measures were taken to prevent it from spreading to nearby houses.

By around 3 pm, nearly 90 of the fire had been brought under control.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel suspect that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze, though the exact cause will be confirmed only after a detailed examination by the Electrical Inspectorate and police, they added.