Floating restaurant gutted in fire at Thiruvananthapuram, LPG cylinders explode

A floating restaurant at Thiruvananthapuram’s Poovar was completely destroyed after a massive fire broke out in the early hours of Monday, officials said.

The blaze reportedly began around 5 am when employees staying nearby first noticed smoke and attempted to douse the fire, but failed. By the time Fire and Rescue Services teams were alerted and dispatched, the restaurant had already been engulfed in flames , officials said.

Access difficulties in the estuary area prevented fire tenders from reaching the structure quickly. Firefighters later used boats and pumping equipment, but the restaurant was already completely gutted , reports said.

Officials confirmed that two LPG cylinders exploded during the fire, triggering loud blasts and intensifying the blaze. However, no casualties were reported as the restaurant was unoccupied at the time of the incident.

The establishment, owned by a person identified as Vineeth, suffered an estimated loss of over Rs 50 lakh , according to preliminary assessments.

While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, initial inputs suggest a possible short circuit , though authorities have not ruled out other technical failures. Similar floating restaurants in the region have previously raised safety concerns due to gas cylinder use and limited emergency access.

Fire officials said a detailed probe is underway to determine the precise cause and assess safety compliance at the site.