A fire broke out at the canteen of General Hospital, Irinjalakuda, around 1.15 am on Sunday. The fire, which originated from the upper portion of the closed canteen, was first noticed by local residents, who alerted the fire services.

Two units of the Fire and Rescue Force from Irinjalakuda, led by senior officer Prasad Kumar, along with one unit from Chalakudy, rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Fire and Rescue personnel broke open the locked door of the canteen to gain entry and begin operations.

A major disaster was averted as the fire did not spread to the gas cylinders in the kitchen, officials said. The canteen had been renovated and reopened about one-and-a-half years ago. The estimated loss is around ₹8 lakh.