House gutted in fire, man escapes unhurt

Idukki: A homeowner had a miraculous escape after his house was destroyed in a fire early Tuesday morning. The incident occurred at the residence of Jaison Joseph at Kummini in Mariyapuram around 5.30am.Jaison’s wife and children were staying at a relative’s house at the time of the incident. According to Jaison, he woke up after hearing a loud noise and found his house engulfed in flames. Although he managed to get out safely, household belongings, including his children’s books, clothes and other essential items, were destroyed in the blaze. Authorities suspect that a short circuit may have caused the fire.Jaison said that he estimated the loss around Rs 20 lakh. By the time fire and rescue services personnel arrived from Idukki, the house was already completely gutted. Thangamani police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.