Though the full extent of the damage is not yet known, fire officials said the top floor was worst hit
Fort Kochi witnessed a similar disaster in Jan 1889, when the Great Fire of Cochin gutted many buildings. No one will be able to control the blaze due to winds and the presence of huge quantities of wooden materials inside,” said Charlotte Walton of Walton’s Homestay, which occupies a 200-year-old building on Princess Street.
Though the full extent of the damage is not yet known, fire officials said the top floor was worst hit, while the ground floor and the wooden staircase were intact. “Though no one was harmed in the fire, many of them lost their valuables, including passports, in the fire,” said an officer at Fort Kochi police station. It will also address the crisis emanating out of narrow roads,” he said.
Kochi : Fresh fires broke out through Wednesday at Koder House, the 19th-century heritage mansion in Fort Kochi, a day after a massive blaze, as strong winds and soaring temperatures reignited smouldering wooden planks. Fire officials immediately brought the flare-ups under control before they could spread. Tuesday night’s fire, which raged for nearly two hours, had damaged most of the mansion. Guests, including foreigners, were staying in six of the gutted rooms. Police have registered an FIR, which states that the passports of three foreign tourists were damaged. Their embassies have been informed and asked to ensure their safe return home. The fire has caused panic among residents and hoteliers and raised questions about the safety of other heritage buildings in Fort Kochi, which lacks a proper water-hydrant system for firefighting. “What will we do if the fire spreads to nearby heritage structures, which are sitting close to each other? Hospitality pioneer Jose Dominic called for fire audits in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, saying the areas lack hydrants, unlike many heritage cities. “If there is a water hydrant system, the fire can be immediately doused instead of waiting for fire force personnel reaching the spot.
Smoke was still billowing from the building on Tower Road, now a boutique hotel and restaurant, when TOI revisited it on Wednesday morning. They were moved to a safer location on Tuesday night.