A devastating fire broke out on Sunday evening (May 18) in a shopping complex near the Mofussil Bus Stand in Kozhikode, severely damaging several shops, including a large textile showroom. The fire originated around 5 p.m. on the first floor of the multi-storey complex and quickly spread to the upper floors, reducing a substantial inventory of garments to ashes.
Firefighting units from four nearby stations arrived swiftly, but the intensity of the flames required backup from eight additional fire stations across the region. Emergency alerts were sent to neighbouring districts, while police forces and rescue volunteers joined efforts to contain the blaze.
Thanks to prompt evacuation efforts, all customers and staff were safely moved out before the fire intensified. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters, battling thick smoke and limited access, were forced to break windows to reach the upper floors. Shop owners, under the guidance of rescue teams, moved inflammable materials—including LPG cylinders—from adjacent outlets, preventing a potential explosion.
District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who led the coordination on-site, confirmed that units from all local fire stations, including the one at Calicut International Airport, were mobilized. He attributed the absence of casualties to the lower footfall typical of a Sunday evening.
The operation took nearly two hours to bring the fire under control on one side of the complex. Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fire.
