Blaze at scrapyard exposes Kochi’s fire vulnerability again

A fire that broke out at a scrapyard under the Pulleppady overbridge on Sunday (April 26, 2026) has once again exposed the city’s vulnerability to fire hazards as the summer reaches its peak. Fire and Rescue Services officials have warned that a range of locations, including scrap collection yards, resource recovery facilities, and informal garbage dumping sites, remain high-risk zones across the city.

Meanwhile, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has initiated steps to chalk out an action plan to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. According to Fire and Rescue Services officials, the Pulleppady blaze intensified due to the presence of combustible materials, including discarded perfume bottles, highlighting the dangers of improper waste segregation. “Even a small spark can trigger a major fire in such places. Scrapyard owners must take repeated warnings seriously,” a senior officer said.

The authorities have advised operators to maintain safe distances between different types of stored materials and to keep premises accessible to firefighting teams. However, officials said compliance remained poor, with many ignoring safety guidelines.