CHENNAI: A fire broke out at an iron shop and paper godown near Ramamoorthy Nagar in Vilangudi, Madurai district, on Monday morning.

According to a report by Thanthi TV, the shop, owned by Parthi, had been operating for the past five years. A large quantity of paper had reportedly been stored at the premises on Sunday evening.

The fire is said to have started suddenly in the early hours. At the time, the owner was away in his native village to celebrate the Diwali festival. Local residents noticed thick smoke emerging from the building and immediately alerted the authorities.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control after several hours of effort.