A significant fire completely destroyed a footwear manufacturing factory in Malappuram district on Friday, leading to a massive six-hour firefighting operation involving multiple stations.
Fire Erupts at Foot Well Manufacturing Unit
The blaze broke out at the Foot Well footwear factory, located on the Aravankara–Mini Ooty road near Pookottur. The fire was first reported around 11:45 am on Friday. Flames quickly engulfed the structure, posing a serious challenge to emergency responders.
Massive Firefighting Response Deployed
Fire and rescue services launched a major operation to tackle the inferno. A total of 11 fire tenders were rushed to the scene. These vehicles were summoned from nine different fire stations across Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. Additionally, a specialized fire unit from the Kozhikode airport was also pressed into service to assist the efforts.
Firefighters battled the intense flames for nearly six hours before finally bringing the fire under full control. In a final step to ensure all embers were out, the roof of the damaged structure was removed using an earth mover, allowing crews to completely extinguish any remaining pockets of fire.
Cause and Extent of Damage Under Investigation
Preliminary observations by the Fire and rescue services personnel suggest that an electrical short circuit may have sparked the devastating blaze. However, officials have stated that the exact cause will be confirmed only after a detailed examination by the electrical inspectorate.
The full extent of the financial and material loss is currently being assessed. The factory, known as Foot Well, was a manufacturing unit for footwear, and the fire has resulted in its complete gutting.
