Historic Koder House in flames: Upper floor gutted in major fire at Fort Kochi’s 1808 landmark

KOCHI: A major fire broke out at the historic Koder House hotel in Fort Kochi on Tuesday evening, with the blaze gutting almost the entire upper floor of the three-storey heritage building. The fire broke out on the upper floor of the hotel around 7.30pm and spread rapidly. The floor, which had extensive wooden structures, was almost completely destroyed in the blaze. The fire subsequently spread towards the other floors of the building.

Two units from the nearby Mattancherry Fire and Rescue Station were the first to reach the spot but could not immediately bring the fire under control. More units were later deployed from Ernakulam Club Road, Gandhinagar, Thrikkakara and Aroor, along with firefighting teams from the Navy and Coast Guard.

The combined teams battled the blaze for around two hours before bringing it under control. As the intense fire made it difficult to enter the hotel from the front, firefighters accessed the building from the rear to carry out the firefighting operations.

No casualties were reported. Two Mumbai residents who had been staying at the hotel had gone out at the time of the fire, averting a potentially serious situation. Their belongings kept inside their rooms were destroyed in the fire. There were no other guests staying at the hotel at the time.

Hotel employees and others at the premises were evacuated immediately after the fire broke out. The fire also spread to a tree in front of the hotel, but nearby establishments were not affected.

Fort Kochi's landmark

Koder House is one of Fort Kochi's historic buildings and has a long association with the Koder family and the city's Jewish heritage. The building dates back to 1808 and is known for its distinctive Indo-Portuguese architectural character.

S.S. Koder, founder of the Cochin Electric Company, and members of his family lived at the property. Over the years, the historic building also hosted foreign visitors, governors and prominent political leaders during their visits to Kochi.

The property later became a boutique hotel, retaining its historic character and architectural features. Its location in the heart of Fort Kochi has made it a notable part of the area's heritage landscape.
A short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire, according to the preliminary assessment. The damage is estimated to run into lakhs of rupees.

Koderhouse, the iconic three-storeyed heritage property in Fort Kochi, on fire right now. https://t.co/Xr7wmGm4b9

— Rajesh Abraham🇮🇳 (@pendown) September 29, 2026