Malappuram: A fire broke out at a fruit godown in Vandur, Malappuram district, on Monday afternoon, destroying the storage facility and damaging three vehicles parked nearby. The incident occurred around 1 pm and caused panic in the area, though no injuries were reported.

According to fire and rescue officials, a unit from the Thiruvali Fire Station rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control within about 20 minutes. The timely intervention of local people and fire authorities prevented the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.

Preliminary findings suggest that the fire originated from the rear side of the small godown, where fruits and storage baskets are kept. The flames spread rapidly, engulfing a car, a motorcycle and a goods autorickshaw parked close to the structure. While the car and motorcycle were completely gutted, the autorickshaw sustained partial damage.

An eyewitness, Kareem, said the fire may have started from a vacant plot behind the NM Fruit Shop. "We first noticed flames at the back end of the godown. Within minutes, it spread quickly to the entire structure and the nearby vehicles," he said.

He added that waste materials dumped in the area, including dry fruit packaging and straw used to store fruits, could have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. However, the exact cause of the incident remains unknown.

Fire and rescue authorities have begun an investigation, and further inquiries are expected to determine whether negligence or external factors caused the blaze.