KOCHI: A massive fire broke out at a shop complex in Broadway, Kochi, gutting several shops selling fancy items and toys, in the early hours of Tuesday.
The fire was reported around 1 am at the Kolithara building complex, located behind Sreedhar Theatre. The area is a densely packed commercial hub with several small shops operating in proximity.
A major tragedy was averted as the fire broke out at night, said a source close to the Kochi City Police.
As it was the Christmas–New Year festive season, the area had been witnessing heavy crowds during the day.
The fire erupted from a spot where paper and plastic waste from the shops had been dumped by a cleaning staff member, and spread to the three-storey building.
The building houses toy and fancy goods shops operating on the ground floor.
“Fire and Rescue Services units from nine fire stations rushed to the spot. Efforts by 12 units to douse the flames continued into the early morning hours. A short circuit is suspected to be the cause, but the exact reason for the fire is yet to be confirmed,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, a similar major fire incident had occurred in the area in 2019.