Kochi (Kerala): A major fire gutted a section of a cargo barge, MV Vishalakshi, docked at a private shipyard in Kerala's Kochi, officials said.
As per reports, the fire broke out at around 3 am on the deck of the vessel, undergoing maintenance at the Sea Blue Shipyard in Vypeen, Kochi. Employees at the yard noticed the fire and tried to extinguish it but were unsuccessful.
Subsequently, Fire and Rescue Services personnel were alerted, and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Officials said the blaze continued for several hours despite firefighting efforts, prompting authorities to seek assistance from the firefighting team of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). The CSL team arrived aboard another vessel and joined in the firefighting efforts.
Officials added on that the situation has now been brought under control and that no casualties have yet been reported. The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained. A thorough inspection of the vessel will be carried out after the blaze is completely extinguished, officials added on.
-With inputs from PTI