Date:04/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/04/stories/2009070452570300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli

Fire in departmental store in Tirunelveli

Staff Reporter

TIRUNELVELI: Consumer durables, home and kitchen appliances, baby products, stationery articles, gift items, medicines and grocery, were destroyed in a fire at a departmental store at Palayamkottai on Friday.

Though electrical short circuit is said to be the reason, police are probing all other possibilities also. Four fire fighters suffered burns.

The fire was noticed in the second floor around 2.30 a.m. Even after four fire tenders from Palayamkottai and Pettai rushed to the spot immediately, they could neither enter the affected floor nor insert the water cannon inside as there was no window or ventilator. Only after a hole was made on the eastern side of the building, water could be poured inside.

After 9-hour battle, the fire was extinguished shortly after 12 noon.

When the firemen tried to reach the trouble spot via the stairs in the first floor, head-constable Narayanan, firemen V. Shanmugavel, R. Marimuthu and N. Paul Durai suffered burns and were admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. Mr. Marimuthu was shifted to a private hospital.