Alappuzha Houseboat catches fire

Another houseboat, the second in two days, caught fire here on Friday, this time while moving with passengers from the Punnamada Finishing Point.


However, with the owners of the boat denying the media permission to take photographs or visuals of the accident and also deciding not to lodge a complaint with the police, further details on the accident were not available.


According to eyewitnesses, the boat had moved a few metres away from the Finishing Point with passengers when smoke was seen from its engine room. Other houseboat operators said it could be a battery short circuit issue and that the boat was straightaway taken to its docking area near the Starting Point.


On Thursday, another houseboat, which was docked at the Finishing Point was gutted partially. In both incidents, fortunately, no one was injured.



A double-decker houseboat caught fire in the Punnamada lake on Thursday evening. The lake is famous for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.


Alappuzha Fire and Rescue Services team assistant station officer V Shaji said the estimated loss caused by the fire was Rs 5 lakh. The incident took place at 3.30 pm and there were two staff in the boat at that time. "When they saw the flames, they jumped out of the boat .The owner of the boat Lakeshore Palace is N G Biju, a native of Chingavanam," he said.