Watch: 10 fishing boats gutted in massive Kerala's Ashtamudi Lake blaze; fire units rushed

KOLLAM: A massive fire destroyed approximately 10 fishing boats anchored in Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam, Kerala, during the early hours of Sunday, with no reported casualties.The blaze erupted around 2:30 am near the Kureepuzha church, close to the Ayyankovil temple.The incident occurred in the Kureepuzha area, which falls under the jurisdiction of Anchalumood police station, when several boats moored in a row caught fire.Local residents and fire force personnel immediately responded to contain the spread of the fire.

"As per the preliminary assessment, around 10 boats were destroyed completely. The exact cause is yet to be identified, but a gas cylinder blast is suspected," a police officer said.Six units of the Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control, officials said to news agency ANI.Officials are investigating the incident, which occurred at one of Kerala's major fishing hubs.(With agency inputs)