<p>One person was killed when two houseboats went up in flames in Kerala's tourist location of Alappuzha. Investigations are on to establish the cause of the fire, police said Thursday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"Three houseboats were docked at the site. Two were gutted in the fire. The third was moved away before the flames could reach it. <br /><br />A casual worker who was sleeping in one of the boats died," said Tomy Pulikattil, a leading houseboat operator in Alappuzha who witnessed the fire.<br /><br />Five fire engines fought the blaze. <br /><br />The loss is estimated at Rs.70 lakh. <br /><br />"We are given to understand that the fire was caused by a leak in a cooking gas cylinder in the kitchen of one of the houseboats," said Pulikattil.<br /><br />The cause of the fire, however, will only be known with certainty once investigations conclude.<br /><br />The accident happened at a time when tourists were visiting the state in large numbers in view of Onam. More than 400 houseboats in Alappuzha have been serving visiting tourists. <br /><br />Locals heaved a sigh of relief that the damage was restricted to two houseboats.<br /><br />The accident comes close on the heels of the explosion in a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas at Kannur Monday, leaving six people dead by Thursday morning. <br /><br />Seven houses and 15 shops went up in flames in that explosion. <br /><br />State Home Minister T. Radhakrishnan said the age of all vehicles plying in the state will be checked, to prevent such mishaps in future.</p>
<p>One person was killed when two houseboats went up in flames in Kerala's tourist location of Alappuzha. Investigations are on to establish the cause of the fire, police said Thursday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"Three houseboats were docked at the site. Two were gutted in the fire. The third was moved away before the flames could reach it. <br /><br />A casual worker who was sleeping in one of the boats died," said Tomy Pulikattil, a leading houseboat operator in Alappuzha who witnessed the fire.<br /><br />Five fire engines fought the blaze. <br /><br />The loss is estimated at Rs.70 lakh. <br /><br />"We are given to understand that the fire was caused by a leak in a cooking gas cylinder in the kitchen of one of the houseboats," said Pulikattil.<br /><br />The cause of the fire, however, will only be known with certainty once investigations conclude.<br /><br />The accident happened at a time when tourists were visiting the state in large numbers in view of Onam. More than 400 houseboats in Alappuzha have been serving visiting tourists. <br /><br />Locals heaved a sigh of relief that the damage was restricted to two houseboats.<br /><br />The accident comes close on the heels of the explosion in a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas at Kannur Monday, leaving six people dead by Thursday morning. <br /><br />Seven houses and 15 shops went up in flames in that explosion. <br /><br />State Home Minister T. Radhakrishnan said the age of all vehicles plying in the state will be checked, to prevent such mishaps in future.</p>