On Monday, June 16, 2025 at approximately 8:30 AM, a fierce blaze erupted at Ukkens Paint and Hardware in Chalakudy, Thrissur, triggering panic across the busy commercial district. The fire is believed to have originated in the back storeroom and quickly spread amid a stockpile of paints and thinners.

With a gas godown located perilously close to the shop, authorities faced an urgent race to shift gas cylinders to safer locations before the inferno could reach them. Smoke blackened the sky as two fire units from Puthukkad and Chalakudy rushed in. Firefighters, police, locals, and porters worked in concert -hauling out stock and battling the roaring flames with hoses and foam.

Traffic was cordoned off, and the police maintained strict crowd control, allowing the fire brigade to gain the upper hand. As of late morning, the situation was brought under control, though minor flare‑ups persisted . Thankfully, no casualties have been reported.

Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and to assess possible safety code violations in the densely packed complex.