Two separate fire incidents reported in Idukki; no casualties
Station officer Biju Suresh George said fires often spread due to careless burning of waste.
Station officer Biju Suresh George said fires often spread due to careless burning of waste.
Station officer Biju Suresh George said fires often spread due to careless burning of waste.
Idukki: Two separate fire incidents were reported at Moolamattom here on Wednesday, one near a school and another on a private residential plot. Both fires were brought under control by the Fire and Rescue Services.
The first incident was reported around 12.15 pm in a forest patch adjoining the Social Forestry nursery near the Kudayathoor School for the Blind. Local residents initially attempted to douse the flames, but as the fire intensified, the Fire Force was alerted.
Fire force personnel from Moolamattom rushed to the spot. However, fire tenders could not reach the affected area due to the narrow access road. The personnel then proceeded to the site in a jeep and, after nearly half an hour of effort using fire beaters, managed to completely extinguish the blaze. Shrubs and small vegetation were partially burnt in the incident. Officials noted that similar fire incidents have been reported in the area in the recent past.
The second fire was reported around 1.15 pm at Bishop Vayal in Moolamattom, opposite to a hospital, in a vacant plot adjacent to an unoccupied house. It is suspected that the fire spread while dry waste was being burnt as part of cleaning activities. The house belongs to Damodaran of Meekallayil. Rajan, a nearby resident who noticed the fire, alerted the Fire and Rescue Services.
Fire force personnel reached the spot promptly and extinguished the blaze, while preventing it from spreading to the house. During the incident, an unused water tank installed on the roof of the house caught fire but was put out swiftly.
The rescue operations were carried out under the leadership of Station Officer Biju Suresh George, along with fire force personnel Jins Mathew, Bibin A Thankappan, Jiby P Varambanattu, Roy Mathew, K Sandeep, James Thomas and Satheesh Kumar MT.
Care needed while burning waste
Speaking on the incidents, Biju Suresh George said fires often spread due to careless burning of waste. He advised that dry waste should be burnt only in small quantities, with water kept ready to douse flames if required, and that fires can also be controlled using green leafy branches.
He urged the public to avoid burning waste during peak heat hours. He also warned against inhaling smoke, which could cause loss of consciousness, and said the Fire and Rescue Services should be alerted immediately if a fire goes out of control.