One house was gutted and five others were damaged in a fire that broke out in Karimadom Colony here on Sunday. No casualties were reported.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel said the fire broke out at the house of one Nabeesath around 2 p.m., and spread to the adjoining houses in the crammed colony, which is waiting for completion of a Basic Services for the Urban Poor housing project for rehabilitation of the 560 families there.
The house was vacant since the occupants were out on work, Fire and Rescue Services officials said. The occupants of the other houses ran out and raised an alarm, bringing other residents and local people to the spot. They tried to douse the flames before the fire engines arrived.
Seven fire engines that reached the colony from the Chengalchoola, Chakka, and Vizhinjam fire stations doused the fire before it could spread and cause further damage, the rescue personnel said. A short-circuit was suspected to have set off the blaze, and the loss could go above Rs.5 lakh, the officials said.
Revenue officials and the Fort police visited the spot. The police said the other houses did not suffer major damage as the occupants were in the process of shifting to the new apartments constructed for them.
Minister’s directive
Meanwhile, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar, who visited the colony, said in a statement here that Revenue officials had been asked to assess the damage without delay, and initiate steps to extend financial assistance to those who had suffered losses in the fire.
Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash too had been requested to take necessary steps to extend help, Mr. Sivakumar said.
