Massive fire guts auto spare parts store

A major fire broke out at an auto spare parts store on Pillayar Koil Street off Patel Road near Kattur in Coimbatore on Thursday evening, triggering panic in the densely populated
area.
The fire occurred at the privately owned Madeswari Machine Spare Parts shop, housed in a three-storey building with a ground floor shop and two upper floors used for storage.
Employees were at work in the afternoon, and welding work was reportedly under way on one of the floors.
Later in the evening, thick black smoke was noticed billowing from the top floor.
Workers rushed to check and found the building had caught fire.
The Coimbatore South Fire Station was alerted, following which fire and rescue personnel rushed to the spot and began firefighting operations. City Police Commissioner N. Kannan, Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabhakaran and Deputy Commissioner of Police N. Devanathan inspected the spot as police and fire services coordinated efforts to control the blaze.
As a precautionary measure, residents in nearby buildings were evacuated.
Fire engines from multiple stations across the district were pressed into service as the blaze spread rapidly due to the presence of mechanical spare parts, causing dense smoke to engulf the locality.
Firefighting operations continued late into the night.