Ten fishing boats gutted in massive fire in Kollam

Ten traditional fishing boats were gutted in a major fire that erupted in Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam district of Kerala around 2 a.m. on Sunday (December 7, 2025). The blaze, which destroyed the entire moored fleet and adjacent Chinese nets in Kureepuzha, remains under investigation.

Rescue operations were severely hampered by the explosion of onboard gas cylinders and poor road connectivity to the area. Despite these challenges, local residents, working alongside the Fire and Rescue Services, managed to prevent a larger disaster by successfully moving eight other moored boats away from the rapidly spreading flames. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The massive blaze was first reported to the police by local residents late at night, initiating the extensive response effort. The presence of onboard gas cylinders and diesel cans presented a major hazard, significantly escalating the risk and posing a challenge to the rescue operation. Though six Fire and Rescue Services units were pressed into service, it took several hours to extinguish the flames that were finally brought under control by 7 a.m. The fire entirely consumed nine wooden boats and one fibre boat. According to an official, the damage was so severe that some vessels reportedly sank, while a few others drifted ablaze to different parts of the waterbody.

Kollam District Collector N. Devidas, who visited the site, has ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the fire and assess the total extent of the damage. The fishers had temporarily moored their vessels near the Ayyankovil temple close to the Kureepuzha church as they took a break in connection with the local body polls. It was confirmed that out of the ten boats destroyed, nine belonged to an individual from Pozhiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, while one was owned by a Neendakara resident.

Meanwhile, the latest incident follows a similar accident near Kavanad in Kollam district on November 21, where two fishing boats were gutted. That earlier fire reportedly resulted from a gas cylinder blast while cooking, causing burn injuries to two migrant workers from Andhra Pradesh. The recurrence of boat fire incidents has severely alarmed local fishers and residents, who are now demanding a serious probe to thoroughly rule out the possibility of any sabotage.