The extinguishing of the fire in the high-rise building in Zlín will likely take several more days

Zlín – The firefighting operation at the high-rise building in the former Baťa industrial complex in Zlín is likely to continue for several more days. The handover of the building to its owner has been postponed; originally, firefighters did not rule out that it would happen today. Several streets around the building were opened today, which had been closed in previous days due to the extensive fire. Lucie Javoříková, spokesperson for the regional firefighters, said this to ČTK this morning. Firefighters continue to drench the debris of the building, which caught fire on Thursday morning, July 9, and collapsed in two places that same afternoon.

"There is still a high temperature inside the fire scene. Extinguishing work is ongoing. There are six units (firefighters) on site, dousing the debris with water and cooling it down. The building will not be handed back to the owner yet, as the operation continues," Javoříková said. Firefighters continue to recommend that people in the area avoid ventilation. The cause of the fire in building number 34, which has 11 above-ground floors, and the extent of the damages are being investigated by criminal investigators along with fire investigators.

According to the spokesperson, the restricted area around the building, which primarily contained warehouses and offices, has been reduced. "Vavrečkova Street and Sedmdesátá Street remain closed," Javoříková said. However, Dvacátá Street was opened to the public today. The adjacent part of Trávník Street is also accessible. In relation to the water extraction from the Dřevnice River, which firefighters are using to extinguish the fire, Hlavničkovo Embankment remains impassable.

According to the spokesperson, it is difficult to estimate how long the firefighting operation will last. "We will see how the weather conditions treat us. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like rain will come, so we will have to douse it with water ourselves. This will be a matter of several more days, but I can’t say whether it will be two, three, or the entire week," Javoříková added.

According to firefighters, the fire did not result in any injuries. The police are investigating the incident for suspicion of committing the criminal act of endangerment through negligence. The potential perpetrator faces up to five years in prison.

In connection with clarifying the causes of the fire, firefighters have appealed to the public for assistance. They welcome photographs and videos capturing the situation just before the outbreak of the fire or its initial manifestations, such as smoke and flames. They are also seeking eyewitness testimonies from people who noticed something unusual in the area or have information that could be related to the event. Firefighters can be contacted at phone number 950 670 313 or via email at [email protected].

The fire likely started on the ninth floor of the building in a shoe warehouse rented by Vasky. From there, it spread to other floors and the roof. The building gradually collapsed in two places, leaving approximately half of it standing. Firefighters brought the blaze under control during the night from Thursday to Friday, when they also lowered the fire alarm level from the fourth to the third degree. The highest, fourth degree is declared only during extraordinary incidents. On Saturday evening, they reduced it to the first level. Helicopters assisted them in extinguishing the fire until Friday evening.