Three houses gutted in Kerala's Kollam

Kollam (Kerala), Nov 20 (PTI) Three houses were gutted in a fire here on Thursday night, officials said.

According to Fire and Rescue Services officials, residents of the houses managed to escape unharmed, but their household belongings were destroyed.

The Kollam Fire Station received a distress call at around 8 pm, following which two fire tenders were dispatched to Altharamood in Thangassery.

Officials said the fire originated in the house of a woman named Santhi, who was not at home at the time.

As the flames spread, an LPG cylinder inside the house exploded, causing the blaze to engulf two neighbouring houses.

The structures were small sheds, which allowed the fire to spread rapidly, officials said.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control by 9.15 pm.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, they added. PTI TBA SSK