Kozhikode: Three hours on, the massive fire that engulfed a three-storied wholesale textile shop in Kozhikode continues to rage even as firefighters sprayed water from either side of the building. Eyewitnesses said that fire was first spotted on the second floor of the building. Rafeeq who runs a shop in the ground floor of the building said that he saw smoke emitting from the second floor. 

"I saw the smoke coming out at 4.45 pm. Fire force was alerted, and the unit reached here around 5 pm," Rafeeq told reporters. In the past one week, loads of textile goods anticipating the school market arrived at the shop and were stacked in the godown, shopkeepers said. The entire building was air-conditioned, making it difficult for the fire and rescue personnel to break into the building and check the spread of flames from inside the shop. 

Smoke billowed out of the shop and swallowed the area around the shop where the fire broke out. Firefighters equipped with Oxygen cylinders are trying to enter the building. The biggest challenge for the firefighters is to prevent the fire from spreading to a large nearby building. Fire units are being rushed to Manachira to refill water. A huge crowd gathered on either side of the road, also posing challenges to the smooth transport of fire engines. The police have cordoned off the area and used microphones to appeal to the people to stay away from the shop premises.

Fire units were stationed near the bus stand and at the other end of the shop to check the flames. The personnel have been toiling for more than two hours to bring the blaze under control within the building.