KOZHIKODE: A massive fire at a commercial building near the bustling Mofussil Bus Stand in Kozhikode triggered widespread panic and caused extensive damage in one of the busiest areas in the city.
The fire, which reportedly started at Calicut Textiles on the first floor around 5pm, rapidly spread to adjoining shops and upper floors of the three-storey commercial building, forcing emergency evacuations and disrupting traffic.
A major firefighting effort — involving around 30 fire and rescue services units from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts — continued for nearly five hours to bring the blaze under control. The fire was completely doused by around 9.50pm. The losses are estimated to run into crores of rupees.
Eyewitnesses said the fire first erupted at the wholsale textiles store and quickly spread to neighbouring outlets like Calicut Fashion Bazar and several eateries on the ground floor. A thick blanket of smoke engulfed the area. There were no human casualties.
Police and fire and rescue services personnel promptly intervened, evacuating shop owners, employees and customers from the building.
All buses parked at the stand were quickly moved to safer locations. Immediately after the flames were noticed, multiple fire and rescue services units from four nearby stations reached the site, while reinforcements including a modern fire engine from the Kozhikode airport joined the operations by 6.50 pm.
Comprehensive fire safety audit will be done immediately, says collector
However, thick smoke and the building’s dense structure hindered progress in containing the blaze. Later, more fire units were called in from other areas.
“Initially, it was impossible to reach the upper floors due to intense heat and low visibility. We had to break several windows to get in,” said a fire and rescue services official. “The structure’s internal layout made it hard to manoeuvre. We waited until the fire subsided by at least 60% before making a proper entry into the building,” the official said.
The building, reportedly owned by Kozhikode Corporation, houses a cluster of wholesale and retail businesses dealing in textiles, school supplies, and festival merchandise — most of which were stocked up in anticipation of the upcoming Valiya Perunaal festival and school reopening season.
Harshad C P, a porter at the bus stand, said: “The building was full of stock. The fire broke out at Calicut Textiles first. Then it spread to Fashion Bazar. We helped the rescue teams by removing gas cylinders from eateries on the ground floor,” he said.
“To prevent a catastrophe, fire and rescue officials and police ordered the immediate removal of inflammable materials such as LPG cylinders from nearby establishments. Simultaneously, police blocked major connecting roads — Rajaji Road, Arayidathupalam, and Mavoor Road junction -- causing traffic congestion in the city,” he said.
Kozhikode North Zone IG Rajpal Meena, who arrived at the scene to oversee operations, said: “There will be an inquiry as usual. But saving lives and property is the priority. Forensic inspection will follow. Over 300 officers have been deployed to control crowds, manage traffic, and ensure fire units have uninterrupted access to water from Mananchira.”
With the business season at its peak, shops were fully stocked for Eid and the school reopening season. Calicut Textiles, in particular, was known for its large inventory of school uniforms and daily wear, all of which were turned to ash in a matter of hours.
Padipoyil Mukundan, director of Calicut Textiles, stood outside the wreckage, visibly shaken. “We’ve been in business since 1984. This was our most important season. Generations of hard work have been destroyed. Everything is gone,” he lamented.
Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who visited the site, called it “one of the worst incidents of fire in recent history—possibly more severe than the SM Street fire eight years ago.” “A comprehensive fire safety audit of the building and surrounding structures will be done immediately. We cannot allow such lapses in high-density commercial zones,” he said.
Former mayor Thottathil Raveendran was quick to point out the lack of preparedness on the part of authorities. “This area lacks proper fire safety infrastructure. There are too many structures packed together with no real compliance checks. This disaster should be a wake-up call,” he said.
IUML leader Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal urged the government to release relief funds for affected traders immediately. “This is not just about buildings, this is about people’s lives and their future. Compensation must be swift, and authorities must enforce preventive mechanisms,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ajay Kumar, a retired fire officer, voiced frustration at the lack of follow-through after earlier disasters. “We warned authorities to upgrade fire stations and deploy more modern units post the SM Street fire. Nothing happened. Kozhikode is still vulnerable,” he told TNIE.
