Kochi: A fire broke out at the historic Koder House, a landmark of Fort Kochi’s Jewish heritage, on Tuesday evening, prompting fire and rescue personnel to rush to the iconic building.
The fire broke out around 6.50 pm at the imposing three-storeyed, brick-red building on Tower Road, which was once the home of the prominent Jewish Koder family and is now being converted into a heritage hotel, police said.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel from various stations in and around Fort Kochi brought the situation under control, officials said.
A short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire, officials said.
The extent of the damage was not immediately known.
Talking to PTI, former Kochi Mayor K J Sohan said the loss could not be assessed merely in monetary terms, given the building’s historical importance.
Koder House traces its history to the 19th century, when it was built as a Portuguese mansion.
In 1905, Samuel S Koder, a member of the prominent Cochin Jewish family, bought and renovated the building, giving it its distinctive Indo-European architectural character.
Samuel Koder ran the Cochin Electric Company and also served as the Honorary Consul to the Netherlands. He was also instrumental in establishing the Cochin wing of the Freemasons.
The building remained with the Koder family until it was sold by one of Samuel Koder’s grandchildren.
The building’s architecture reflects a blend of European and Indian styles. Its spacious rooms, sea-facing windows, wooden floors, carved furniture, and verandahs are among its distinctive features.
The mansion is known for its large glass-paned windows, with the glass believed to have been imported from Belgium, and floor tiles arranged in a chessboard pattern.
Wide teak staircases and large open spaces across all 3 floors add to the character of the building.
The Indian Navy assisted in the firefighting operation following a request from the Kochi Commissioner of Police, the Southern Naval Command said.
Defence fire tenders from INS Dronacharya, INS Venduruthy and INS Garuda were deployed to assist the civil authorities.
Naval teams worked alongside fire and police personnel to help bring the blaze under control.
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