Fire on the ridges of the Krkonoš Mountains destroyed the dilapidated Peter's Lodge

source: petrovabouda.cz

Trutnov - A large fire completely destroyed the dilapidated Petrova bouda on the ridges of the Krkonoš mountains today. According to firefighters, the cause of the fire was likely intentional arson. Firefighters are allowing the fire to burn out under control, said their Hradec Králové spokesperson Martina Žahourková to ČTK in the afternoon. The unique building, which is listed as a cultural monument, has been closed in recent years. Firefighters were on site dealing with a small fire less than two weeks ago.
According to the firefighters' spokesperson, the fire destroyed all three buildings of the complex. "Only part of the outer walls remained from the former recreational facility, and the transformer station, to which several other operational buildings are connected, was saved," the spokesperson stated. The cause of the fire was likely intentional arson. "On Tuesday morning, a police and fire investigator, as well as detectives with specially trained dogs to search for flammable substances, will return to the site," she said. No one was injured in the fire.
Firefighters were dispatched to the site after 9:00 AM, and upon arrival at the ridges, two out of three buildings were completely engulfed in flames. The third was significantly damaged, and according to eyewitnesses, flames were still shooting from it this afternoon, with dozens of firefighters remaining on scene.
Karel Janda, the managing director of the company Snowy Chalet, which owns the property, told ČTK today that the property was not insured. "The property had effectively no monetary value; its value was primarily historical," Janda said. According to him, the company now has to come up with a new plan to restore Petrova bouda. "Initially, we anticipated reconstructing two of the three Petrova bouda buildings; now it's premature to talk about what will happen next. We must first secure the fire scene," Janda said.
The spokesperson for the Trutnov police confirmed to ČTK that the fire severely damaged the entire building. "The police will investigate, in cooperation with firefighters, how and why the fire occurred," he said. Radek Drahný, spokesperson for the Krkonošsko-jesenická National Park Administration (KRNAP), reminded that Petrova bouda is one of the oldest mountain buildings on the ridges of the Krkonoš mountains. "KRNAP has been observing with some concern over the last few years how the property changes owners and what its future will be," Drahný told ČTK.
According to him, KRNAP would not impose significant restrictions if the owner decided to build a new, comparably sized building in place of the original. "We will see what they potentially propose, but we would not allow a significantly oversized building at this location," Drahný said.
Expert on the Krkonoš mountains and landscape ecologist Pavel Klimeš told ČTK today that Petrova bouda was exceptional because it was the first representative of modern architecture in the Krkonoš mountains. "That building was fundamentally important in the development of architecture; for the first time in the Krkonoš, elements such as flat roofs and high windows were used," Klimeš said.
Petrova bouda, located at an altitude of 1288 meters above sea level, has been closed to tourists since 2008. In recent years, the property has been damaged by moisture and vandals. According to some experts, the building faced the risk of collapse due to its poor technical condition. Firefighters also had to respond to the abandoned hut on July 21. Construction workers who arrived found that wooden cladding and a beam were on fire in the kitchen. They managed to extinguish the fire with water themselves but were concerned about its further spread. Responding units put out the fire.
The first hut at the site of today's Petrova bouda was built in 1811 by Johann Pittermann, after whose corrupted surname the hut is still named. The next owner, Vinzenz Zinecker, remodeled it into a hotel with a flat grassy roof, a glass balcony, and a porch seventy-five years later. He decorated the facade with patterns made from two-colored slate. After 1948, the hut became a trade union recovery home and deteriorated due to a lack of funding for repairs. Since 1997, the hut has been a cultural monument.