Kochi: A massive fire erupted at a scrap warehouse near Ernakulam south railway station on Sunday around 2 am. No casualties were reported. Nine workers inside the building had a narrow escape from the flames. A house, an automobile workshop, and vehicles near the warehouse were gutted in the fire.

Ajith, the owner of the house, noticed the fire and alerted the fire force. Ajith and his mother managed to flee from the house soon after seeing the massive fire.

Fire force personnel rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire within two hours. A major tragedy was averted as the fire force evacuated people from the nearby lodges and houses. Road traffic through the south overbridge and rail traffic to Alappuzha route were suspended for two hours following the fire.

The warehouse is owned by film producer Raju Gopi. He alleged that someone plotted the fire accident by setting plastic dumped behind the building ablaze.

"Someone set fire to the pile of plastic dumped behind the building. It led to a massive fire in the warehouse. Gas cylinders kept in the building were empty," said the warehouse owner.

A total of 15 fire force units reached the spot to douse the fire. Apart from the units from fire force stations in the district, special force of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited also deployed for the operation.