A multi-storeyed building housing shops at Thekkekavala in Nedumkandam town caught fire on Monday morning.
It took over four hours for the police, local people and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel to douse the fire that broke out at the shop, St. Joseph Stores, at 7.30 a.m., the police said.
Short circuit
A short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire.
Three persons who sustained burns while dousing the fire were admitted to the taluk hospital at Nedumkandam.
Rescue vehicles
The police said that four vehicles of the Fire and Rescue Services from Kattappana, Adimaly and Cheruthoni reached the spot and one of the vehicles fell into a gorge at Kallar, near Nedumkandam.
It was later lifted and brought to the spot.
Also, the vehicle in which the owner of the building came to the spot collided with a car injuring two persons in the car.
The injuries were not serious, the police said.
Angry residents of Nedumkandam raised slogans and blocked the road for hours demanding a fire station in the town. The police said that they were estimating the total loss in the fire which completely destroyed items in the showroom and in the godown of the shop.
