Goods worth ` 13 lakh gutted in Vittal

Goods worth around Rs 13 lakh was gutted in a fire that reduced a grocery shop to ashes, at Kuddupadavu near here on Tuesday morning.

According to police, the shop belongs to A M Aboobakkar. Large quantity of rice, food grains, pulses and cashew nuts along with electric items like refrigerator, furnitures was destroyed in the fire.

It was one tempo driver, who noticed the smoke billowing out of the shop around 3 am, immediately informed the owner of the shop.

It is suspected that the fire must have broke out following a short circuit. By the time, the fire service personnel reached the spot, majority of the items were gutted.