The fire last night destroyed the historic bell tower in Železný Brod

Železný Brod (Jablonecko) - A fire in the night to today destroyed one of the oldest monuments in Železný Brod - a wooden belfry near the local church. The fire was reported to the operational center shortly after 03:00, and although firefighters immediately headed to the scene, they had no chance of saving the tower - it was in full flames. The cause of the fire was open flame, but it cannot be determined whether it was negligence or intentional arson, said Jiří Vokoun, an investigator from the Jablonec firefighters, today to ČTK. As of now, he stated that the extent of the damage has not yet been assessed.
    Four professional and volunteer units intervened on the scene. The fire was extinguished before 07:00. Not only the monument itself, but also its most valuable component - a bell from 1496, which melted in the heat - was lost in the fire. Firefighters primarily tried to protect the neighboring Church of St. James the Greater. According to Vokoun, it fortunately remained practically untouched. "Only two windows cracked from the heat," the investigator noted. He added that the investigation of the case has now been taken over by the police.
    According to Mayor Václav Horáček, the monument belongs to the church, which will have to demolish the charred wooden structure as soon as possible. "Today we couldn't reach anyone from the diocese, but we want to negotiate with them about the next steps on Monday," Horáček told ČTK. According to him, the city will strive to build a replica because the belfry was one of the city's landmarks. "I have even heard from several people who want to contribute to the restoration," the mayor said. He did not rule out that the city hall would announce a public collection for the restoration of the belfry. They also want to seek help from the regional office and possibly obtain funds from state or European sources.
    The wooden belfry dated back to 1761 and stood next to the Church of St. James the Greater on the Little Market. Nearby is also a one-story parish house from 1723, which is the first brick building erected in Železný Brod, along with an ossuary. "None of these buildings were threatened by the fire," Vokoun said. The buildings are part of the Municipal Heritage Zone Trávníky, whose timbered houses from the mid-18th century are among the jewels of the architecture of Upper Pojizeří.