Fire breaks out at old Central Theatre complex near Madurai's Meenakshi temple

A major fire broke out at the old Central Theatre complex near the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai on Tuesday evening, sending thick smoke into the sky as fire and rescue teams moved in to control the flames.

Visuals from the scene showed fire rising from the building and smoke pouring out of the premises.

A senior Fire and Rescue Services officer said the blaze had been confined to the theatre building and had not spread to structures nearby. Fifteen fire tenders were pressed into service, and the officer said the flames would be put out soon.

A senior police officer confirmed that there were no casualties and no one was injured. He added that three fire tenders happened to be in the vicinity, which allowed firefighting to begin without delay.

The Central Theatre is among the older theatre complexes in Madurai and stands close to the western tower of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. It has not screened films since the COVID period, and the premises were later used for other purposes, including as a storage facility for toys and other plastic articles.

Combustible material stored inside may have helped the flames spread within the building, though the exact cause of the fire has not been established.

The incident comes as preparations are under way for the consecration of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, with Yagasala rituals already begun and devotees and visitors gathering in the temple area. The western tower is roughly half a kilometre from the theatre complex. Despite the proximity, officials said the fire remained contained within the theatre building and did not reach adjacent structures.