KOLLAM: A fire broke out in a three-storey commercial building at Pulaman Junction in Kottarakara on Tuesday, reducing to ashes two shops on the ground floor. The fire was first noticed inside a medical store on the ground floor at 11 am and people ran out in panic. The fire soon spread to the adjacent automobile spare parts shop. These shops were destroyed. It took an hour to bring the blaze under control. A short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire. The fire spread to the unoccupied upper floors and destroyed things kept there. Three units of the Fire and Rescue Service from Kottarakara and one from Kundara fought the flames. The Kottarakara police have registered a case.