A significant fire broke out at the Chellanam fishing harbour in Kochi on Monday night, resulting in the destruction of approximately thirty fibre boats. The incident, which started around 6:30 PM, caused substantial damage to vessels, many of which were not in active use.
How the Fire Started and Spread
According to local residents, the fire originated from dried leaves near a tree close to the harbour. Initial suspicions point towards a discarded cigarette butt as the likely cause for the leaves catching fire. The flames quickly spread from the vegetation to the boats anchored nearby.
V T Sebastian, a Chellanam resident who witnessed the event, provided details of the incident. The boats were moored close to the groyne on the southern side of the fishing harbour. The rapid spread of the fire through the dry material led to a challenging situation for responders.
Extensive Damage to Fishing Vessels
The inferno gutted around 30 fibre boats. A mix of unused vessels and some that required maintenance were caught in the blaze. While the fire completely destroyed many boats, Sebastian noted that a few might be salvageable with extensive repair work.
Firefighting efforts were prolonged and intense. It took several hours for crews to fully extinguish the flames and bring the situation under control. The scale of the fire and its location posed difficulties for the emergency teams.
Aftermath and Community Impact
Fortunately, the incident did not result in any human casualties. No injuries were reported despite the ferocity of the fire. This has come as a major relief to the local fishing community in Chellanam.
However, the economic and material loss is considerable. The destruction of these boats, even unused ones, represents a blow to the local fishing infrastructure. The incident highlights the fire risks present in areas where dry vegetation accumulates near valuable assets. The community is now assessing the total damage and considering measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
