A ferocious fire erupted around 1 a.m. on December 30, 2025, at the Kolithara Bazaar building complex in Kochi's Broadway area, behind Sridhar Theatre, completely gutting at least five toy and fancy goods shops on the ground floor while partially damaging over 10 others in the three-to-four-storey structure. The densely packed commercial hub, teeming with shoppers during the preceding Christmas-New Year festive rush, escaped a potential catastrophe as the blaze occurred in the early hours when premises stood empty, averting any loss of life according to Kochi City Police and fire officials.

Preliminary investigations point to the fire originating from accumulated paper and plastic waste dumped by cleaning staff near the building, possibly ignited by a suspected electrical short circuit, rapidly engulfing the vulnerable ground-level outlets stocked with highly flammable merchandise. The inferno's swift spread highlighted longstanding safety vulnerabilities in the congested market, coming mere days after the District Disaster Management Authority ordered the temporary closure of 12 nearby shops in Mather Bazaar for flouting fire and electrical safety norms, mandating certifications from relevant authorities.

Fire and Rescue Services mobilized an unprecedented 12 units from nine stations, battling the flames for several hours into the morning with heroic efforts that contained the fire and prevented escalation to adjacent structures and upper floors. District Collector G. Priyanka conducted an on-site assessment Tuesday morning, accompanied by Kochi Deputy Mayor Deepak Joy, who oversaw the dousing operations amid narrow access roads that initially delayed heavy tenders, echoing logistical challenges from prior incidents in the area.

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This blaze revives memories of a similar major fire in Broadway in 2019 that also gutted multiple shops without casualties, underscoring persistent fire hazards in Kochi's historic commercial heart despite repeated calls for enhanced infrastructure, regular audits, and compliance with modern safety protocols amid the region's rapid urbanization and high footfall.

Authorities continue forensic examinations to ascertain the precise cause, with property losses estimated in crores from destroyed inventory including toys, festive decorations, and fancy items, prompting renewed scrutiny on waste management practices, electrical wiring standards, and emergency preparedness in Kerala's premier trading localities.

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