Kozhikode fire: Kerala Minister says deliberate attempt angle would also be probed

Kozhikode (Kerala) | Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran said on Monday that the government would investigate all aspects, including the possibility of any deliberate attempt, related to the massive fire that broke out at a textile shopping hub here the previous evening.

Fireforce personnel and local people took more than five hours to douse the flames that engulfed the shopping plaza located at the city bus stand.

Visiting the area on Monday, the forest minister said the government's first priority is to find out answers to two questions -- how to ensure that such mishaps don't recur in the future and what happened in this particular incident.

He said the preliminary examination in this regard would begin soon, and the city corporation would hold a meeting to find out if there are any lapses or shortcomings in connection with the safety parameters.

"Through a comprehensive probe, it will be found out if there are any lapses. If anyone is responsible for those losses, action will be taken against them. A probe will also be conducted to find out if anyone deliberately acted (to cause a fire)," the minister told reporters here.

The government would arrive at a final decision after carrying out all kinds of covert and public scrutiny and examinations, he added.

The massive fire broke out at a textile shopping hub near the city bus stand here on Sunday, around 5 pm.

Despite the efforts of 12 fire engines, the blaze continued to burn in some areas even after five hours, but there were no casualties or injuries, fire and rescue officials said.

Besides Saseendran, Kozhikode MLA Thottathil Ravindran, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) supremo Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, and District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh were all present at the site on Sunday and expressed confidence that the fire would soon be fully doused.

Visuals of the blaze at its onset, aired on TV channels, showed thick black smoke billowing from the first floor of the shopping plaza, which houses several textile shops, with intense flames burning inside.

Local shopkeepers said the textile stores were stocked with large quantities of school uniforms ahead of schools reopening later this month.