Local residents lend a helping hand

Thiruvananthapuram: Residents of the houses next to the gutted building, people from the neighbouring shops and local people assisted the firemen in fighting and dousing the fire.
Ali, a truck driver from Karamana was fasting. “When you do things like these, you find some strength,” said Ali who chose not to take any trips on Tuesday just like Rajan, Manikantan and Rajesh who had parked their autorickshaws at Power House stand and rushed to help.
Every now and then, these men would help the fire safety personnel with the hoses. When the firemen were tired, Rajan and his friends would get water for them. Their knowledge of local lanes also came handy.
Shameer, an employee at the neighbouring tailor shop was also seen making way for fire tenders and arrange for the passage of vehicles. For the shopkeepers on MG Road, below the Powerhouse Road – Thakaraparambu flyover stretch, Tuesday was a day for showing solidarity.
According to Manzoor G, owner of Gulf Bazaar the firefighters took away stocks of perfumes which are highly inflammable from exploding and causing a major catastrophe. “We all run business and such an accident could happen to anyone of us. The economic setback, which is believed to cause losses in crores of rupees, could take a long time to recover,” he said.
Partha Sarathy who works in Saurashtra Restaurant, which shares a wall with the burnt down mattress section of the umbrella mart said that as soon as the fire broke out, efforts were initiated to clear the five gas cylinders of the restaurant. “We cleared all inflammable material as a precaution. Only a juice shop has been open along the region and that too was opened mainly to provide water and refreshments to firemen and police personnel involved in the rescue efforts,” he said.