Kochi: A massive fire tore through a four-story commercial building at Ernakulam Broadway early Tuesday, destroying one shop completely and damaging several others.

The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. in a building located near Sridar Cinema. It took firefighters and local volunteers approximately 90 minutes of intensive effort to bring the flames under control.

The fire primarily affected shops and warehouses stocked with toys and fancy goods. Preliminary reports suggest the fire originated in a room containing accumulated scrap materials before spreading to adjacent outlets.

Twelve units from the Fire and Rescue Services were deployed to the scene. Local traders and headload workers joined emergency responders in the containment effort.

Authorities declared the fire fully extinguished by 3:30 a.m. While property damage is estimated to be significant, no injuries were immediately reported. An official investigation into the exact cause of the fire is underway.