Shops, house gutted in major fire

Kottayam: A major fire broke out at Kattanam market near Kayamkulam on Wednesday night. According to reports, several shops and a house were gutted in the fire. Efforts to put out the blaze continued late into the night.The fire reportedly started around 8.30pm. Preliminary findings suggest the fire spread from a display board of a gym operating above a supermarket in the market’s largest building.It then spread to nearby establishments, including the supermarket, other shops and to a house. Fire and rescue teams from Kayamkulam and Haripad kept working late into the night to control the fire. Rescue operations were delayed because firefighters could not access the rear side of the burning building.No casualties have been reported.