Fort Kochi's historic Koder House damaged in fire; wooden works gutted

Kochi: A major fire that broke out at the historic Koder House in Fort Kochi on Tuesday evening has been brought under control. No casualties have been reported so far, according to an officer at the Mattancherry fire station.

The building has sustained significant damage in the fire. The wooden roof suffered major damage, while several wooden portions inside the building were gutted in the blaze.

"Structurally, there is not much damage to the building. However, many portions of the building were made of wood and these were damaged, especially the roof. There were many wooden works inside the building and those were also gutted," said Fort Kochi councillor Shiny Mathew. She said the extent of the damage has not yet been assessed.

The fire was reported around 7.15 pm and is believed to have originated on the upper floor of the hotel. The flames quickly spread across the floor, which was almost completely engulfed in fire.

Strong winds in the coastal area are believed to have aided the spread of the blaze. The fire also spread to a tree in front of the hotel.

Two fire and rescue service units from Mattancherry rushed to the spot and began efforts to contain the fire. Officials eventually deployed 10 other units from nearby stations.

The Indian Navy also joined the firefighting operation after the Commissioner of Police, Kochi, sought assistance from the Southern Naval Command.

Defence Fire Tenders (DFTs) from INS Dronacharya, INS Venduruthy and INS Garuda were deployed to assist the civil authorities. Naval firefighting teams worked alongside the local fire and police authorities to bring the blaze under control.

The cause of the fire has not been officially ascertained. A short circuit is being considered as a preliminary possibility.

Located on Tower Road near Vasco da Gama Square and the Chinese fishing nets, Koder House is a historic building with deep links to Kochi's Jewish heritage. The red-brick mansion, built in 1808, was the residence of the Koder family, a prominent Jewish family in Kochi, before being converted into a hotel.

The building is associated with Samuel S Koder, proprietor of the Cochin Electric Company and a warden of the Paradesi Synagogue. The Cochin Electric Company, initiated by Koder, was instrumental in bringing electricity to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry.

Koder House has also hosted several dignitaries, including foreign visitors, governors and prominent political leaders during their visits to Kochi.

The Southern Naval Command said the coordinated efforts of the responding agencies helped bring the fire under control.