BHATKAL: A massive fire on Monday afternoon destroyed a cold storage facility at Tahseen Fruit & Vegetable Market on Jali Road, causing estimated losses of ₹25–30 lakh. The blaze was so intense that firefighters from neighboring Honnavar and Byndoor had to be called in, and the flames were brought under control only after several hours of effort. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
The fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. when only two staff members were present. According to market owner Iftikhar Ruknuddin, a fresh consignment of fruits and vegetables had been delivered just two days earlier. Eyewitnesses said the blaze began in the compressor of one of the four air-conditioning units in the cold storage, before rapidly spreading. Loud blasts from AC compressors and a refrigerator cylinder were also heard as the flames intensified, reducing the entire facility to ashes within moments.
The cold storage, located adjacent to the prominent Oceanic residential complex, produced thick black smoke that engulfed the ten-story building and was visible from afar. Videos quickly circulated on social media showing plumes of smoke rising above the area and people urging others to stay away.
A fire brigade led by Mohammad Shafi was first on the scene, but a single tender proved insufficient. Reinforcements were called in from Honnavar and Byndoor. Firefighters had to refill their tankers twice, and additional tenders were deployed before the blaze was finally contained around 4 p.m., nearly two hours after it began.
The fire completely destroyed the stock of fruits and vegetables along with AC units, a refrigerator, furniture, and other equipment inside the cold storage.
Bhatkal Tahsildar Nagendra Kolashetti, Circle Police Inspector Diwakar, HESCOM Assistant Engineer Manjunath and other officials visited the site to assess the situation. The incident has sparked public concern, with residents calling for an immediate expansion of fire brigade facilities, arguing that a single fire tender is grossly inadequate for a developing city like Bhatkal. Many described the fire as a warning and urged authorities to strengthen emergency response infrastructure without delay.