An extensive fire broke out in Ostrava-Vítkovice, August 14, 2024. | Video: Diary/Kateřina Součková

The situation on the ground early Wednesday evening

Shortly after 4:00 p.m., the firefighters withdrew their advice to the residents of Vítkovice and adjacent districts not to ventilate due to the possible escape of fumes created during the fire and subsequent extinguishing. “After the reduction of units, six units of firefighters are currently working in the area of ​​the hall. However, the second degree of fire alarm is still valid at the site,” said the spokesperson of the Moravian-Silesian fire department, Kamila Langerová, before 6 p.m., adding that the location of the fire had not yet been announced. The exact cause of the fire, as well as the damage caused by it, is the subject of an investigation.

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Two dozen fire brigades

A large fire broke out in Ostrava-Vítkovice. The fire started in the production hall of the company Skatlop, the area in the past belonged to the company Vítkovice Heavy Machinery. Thick black smoke could be seen from all over Ostrava and the surrounding area. Dozens of fire engines immediately rushed to the scene.

“In the first moment, ten units of firefighters and nineteen pieces of equipment were on the scene. Subsequently, additional reinforcements arrived, so that after eleven o’clock there were already seventeen units and thirty-one pieces of equipment. The fire broke out in the production hall of the industrial building. Firefighting work is conducted both from the inside of the building and from the outside, including with the help of high-altitude equipment,” said the press spokesperson of the Moravian-Silesian fire department, Kamila Langerová, at the beginning of the intervention.

Fire in Ostrava-Vítkovice, August 14, 2024. | Video: Diary/Kateřina Součková

Evacuation of people

In addition to firefighters, of course, police units also arrived at the scene of the fire and immediately began to investigate the cause of the fire. “According to preliminary information, an external company was to carry out piling work in the former Vítkovice hall, during which the insulation caught fire. The fire then spread. We currently have information that three dozen people have been evacuated. According to our information, only employees of the aforementioned external company were in the hall,” said police spokeswoman Eva Michalíková.

Large-capacity medical Volvo in action

The EMS crews examined or treated a total of twelve people on the spot, mostly taken out of the areas threatened by the fire. “Everyone in the care of paramedics was conscious and appeared to have little or no medical impairment. They could therefore subsequently be left at the scene of the event and their transport to hospitals was not necessary. The EMS activity was terminated at a quarter to three in the afternoon after an agreement with the incident commander,” stated the spokesman for the Moravian-Silesian rescuers, Lukáš Humpl, adding that a special Volvo car was sent to the scene of the fire, which has been available to the Moravian-Silesian rescuers since the end of 2023 and is intended for for interventions in mass or extraordinary events. “It enables the provision of medical equipment for treatment, but also facilities for up to eight patients,” added Humpl.

close info Source: with the consent of ZZS MSK zoom_in Rescuers also intervened with a large-capacity Volvo vehicle at the fire in Ostrava-Vítkovice.

Second stage fire alarm, helicopter in action

The extent of the fire was so great that the firemen were forced to announce the second degree of fire alarm. “A chemical laboratory was also called to the site to perform air monitoring,” Langerová added.

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Even a helicopter from Přerov was called to the event. “A helicopter was also deployed for firefighting. The rescue unit of the Fire and Rescue Service of the Czech Republic was also called, which arrived with two felxitanks, which are used to deliver water for the firefighting itself from the helicopter,” confirmed the spokeswoman for the fire department.

As soon as the called helicopter began to fight the fire, the number of responding fire units, which had been on the scene for more than two hours, began to decrease. “After noon, seven units of professional and eight units of volunteer firefighters responded to the scene. The rescue unit, the chemical laboratory and the helicopter of the Air Fire Service continued to operate here,” Langerová explained.

Ostrava, Vítkovice, fire, helicopter firefighters 14/08/2024 | Video: Courtesy of HZS MSK

Aerial firefighting support was terminated before 1 p.m. “After that, the intervention was again carried out using the standard method of height engineering, due to the impending fall of the roof structure of the hall,” the spokeswoman added.

Residents were informed by SMS

Considering the extent of the fire and the volume of fumes that got into the air during the burning, the firemen advised people not to ventilate too much. “Residents in the vicinity were informed by text message about the recommendation not to ventilate,” added fire department spokeswoman Kamila Langerová.

This recommendation was withdrawn by the fire department shortly after 4 p.m.

close info Source: Deník/Zdeněk Janiurek zoom_in In Ostrava-Vítkovice, firefighters are fighting a fire in a production hall. The second level of fire alarm was declared. People nearby receive informational SMS.