Fire and rescue units from multiple stations in Ernakulam district are engaged in a challenging operation to extinguish a blaze on a vessel — a barge, according to preliminary reports — docked at a private ship maintenance yard in Kalamukku, Vypeen.

Local residents first noticed the fire, reportedly near the engine section of the vessel, on Monday (June 22, 2026) around 4 a.m. The vessel had been undergoing maintenance and had reportedly carried out a trial run the previous day, heightening anxiety in the neighbourhood over the threat posed by the possible presence of fuel.

“We received a call around 4.30 a.m. Since then, multiple units from various fire stations have been rushed to the spot. It’s a major fire. Our firefighters have not yet been able to enter the vessel and are attempting to douse the flames by pumping water from outside,” sources at the Vypeen fire station said.

The fire outbreak in a densely populated area has triggered considerable concern. Efforts are also underway to prevent the blaze from spreading to other vessels anchored nearby.

According to local residents, the private shipyard has been operating without a panchayat licence or approval from the Pollution Control Board.