Fire breaks out at Koder House, Kochi’s 218-year-old heritage building
The blaze, suspected to have erupted from a short circuit, has gutted the entire upper floor of the iconic building
One of Fort Kochi’s prominent heritage buildings, the historic Koder House, caught fire on Tuesday (September 29) evening, with flames engulfing much of the upper floor of the 218-year-old structure.
The fire broke out at around 7.15 pm at the hotel located on Tower Road, near Vasco da Gama Square and the Chinese fishing nets. The blaze spread rapidly through the upper floor, which was almost completely gutted.
Short circuit suspected
Strong winds in the coastal area raised concerns that the fire could spread to neighbouring buildings. Flames also reached a tree in front of the hotel.
Two fire and rescue units from Mattanchery were deployed to contain the blaze. Although the fire was brought largely under control, firefighting operations continued as the flames had not been completely extinguished.
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Firefighting systems of the Navy and the Coast Guard were also being used to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures.
The cause of the fire has not been established. A short circuit is suspected to have triggered the blaze, according to preliminary assessments.
Iconic building
Built in 1808, KoderHouse is closely associated with the Jewish heritage of Kochi. The red-brick mansion was the residence of the prominent Koder family, one of Kochi’s well-known Jewish families.
SS Koder, who was associated with the Cochin Electric Company and served as a warden of the Paradesi Synagogue, was among the prominent residents of the mansion.
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The Koder family also played a role in the early development of electricity in Fort Kochi and Mattanchery. Samuel S Koder was instrumental in establishing the Cochin Electric Company, which brought electricity to the two areas for the first time.
Koder House also has a history of hosting prominent visitors to Kochi, including foreign visitors, governors and leading political figures. The historic mansion was later converted into a hotel.