more-in Panic gripped the area near Pallimukku in the city on Tuesday evening when a moving car caught fire on a busy road near the junction. No causalties were reported. Fire and rescue officials said the incident took place around 5.30 p.m. The passengers in the car spotted smoke emanating from the front side of the vehicle and immediately stopped it. As soon as they got out, the car went up in flames. Locals, who rushed to the spot, alerted the police and the fire force and a fire tender from the Club Road fire station was soon pressed into service. The fire was doused in 10 minutes but a major portion of the car was completely burnt. Preliminary investigations attributed the flames to a short circuit inside the car battery. “The fire first began to erupt from a position near the battery but a detailed examination is on to affirm the cause,” officials said. Traffic on the stretch was affected for more than half an hour. The car, owned by Jose Cheriyan of Cherthala, was being driven by one Manu at the time of the incident.

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