Kochi: A major fire broke out aboard a vessel undergoing repairs at a private shipyard in Vypin, Ernakulam, in the early hours of Monday.

The incident occurred on a foreign-registered barge that had been docked for repair work at the Sea Blue shipyard in Kalumukku, Vypin, for the past several days. Local residents first noticed smoke and flames emerging from the vessel's engine section at around 4am and alerted authorities.

Around seven fire and rescue units were deployed to the site and have been working for several hours to bring the blaze under control. However, firefighting operations were still ongoing at the time of reporting.

According to officials, the fire broke out when no repair work was being carried out on the vessel. The flames reportedly spread rapidly from the engine room to the upper sections of the ship within minutes.

Authorities are particularly concerned about the possibility of fuel remaining on board, as the vessel had reportedly completed repair work and undergone a trial run the previous day. Thick smoke from burning paint and other materials stored inside the ship has made it difficult for firefighters to enter the vessel and tackle the blaze directly.

Firefighters are currently focusing on cooling the vessel by spraying water from the outside, while precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby ships and boats.

Meanwhile, local residents have alleged that the shipyard is operating without the necessary approvals. They claim the facility lacks a valid panchayat licence and is functioning despite a stop memo issued by the Pollution Control Board. Residents have also raised concerns about noise and air pollution from the yard, which is located near a school.

Fire and rescue personnel from several stations, including Vypin Club Road, remain at the scene. The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

A detailed investigation will be carried out once the blaze is fully extinguished. Officials are expected to examine whether the fire may have originated from equipment used during repair work, including electric cutting tools.