Kozhikode fire: There were not enough fire engines, allege traders

Fire and Rescue Services personnel trying to douse the fire that broke out at a shopping complex near Mofussil Bus Stand in Kozhikode on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

A section of traders who suffered heavy losses in the fire that broke out at the shopping complex near the Mofussil Bus Stand in Kozhikode on Sunday (May 19) alleged that there were not enough fire engines available for a timely intervention. They also claimed that the closure of the Kozhikode Beach fire station severely affected firefighting efforts during the crucial initial hours.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, who visited the site to assess the situation, dismissed the allegations, stating there was no basis for such criticism. He said the fire and rescue teams did their best to manage the crisis and confirmed that over eight fire engines—including one from the Calicut International Airport at Karipur—were deployed promptly.

Two salesmen from Calicut Textiles, where the fire reportedly started, said there were no customers inside the store at the time of the incident. They added that the flames also spread to a textile godown within the building, making rescue operations more difficult.

A police officer involved in the operation said the flex boards placed in front of various shops contributed to the rapid spread of fire to adjoining shops, complicating efforts to contain the blaze.

Due to the timely intervention of the traffic police, all private buses from the Mofussil Bus Stand were relocated to safer areas. Light motor vehicles and motorcycles parked near the affected building were also removed with the help of local traders and volunteers. Traffic was regulated for over three hours to ensure uninterrupted movement of fire engines.