Forest fire in Thrissur kills 3 officials, 2 injured

Thrissur: Three forest officials died as they were trying to harness wildfire at Wadakkancherry on Sunday.

Officials charred to death were identified as Poongodu forest station watcher K U Divakaran (43), temporary watcher A K Velayudhan (54) and temporary forest watcher Vattaparambilveetil V A Shankaran (46)

While trying to put out the fire that engulfed NHL plantation, official were consumed by the inferno which left two other officials with burns.

Those with burn injuries are admitted to Thrissur Medical college, reports say.

Minister for Forest K. Raju in a statement said that the preliminary financial assistance would be extended to the families of deceased and the injured.

The area had faced wildfire last year as well.