Firefighters respond to a fire in a wood processing hall, March 13, 2023, Čelákovice.
Čelákovice (near Prague) – More than a hundred firefighters intervened early this morning at the fire in the hall of a furniture company in a smaller industrial zone in Čelákovice near Prague. They managed to get the fire under control after about eight hours of intervention, locating it after 10:00. Firefighters' spokesman Tomáš Bakalář told ČTK. Thick smoke from the fire was initially visible for miles. One firefighter was slightly injured in the attack. The on-site chemical laboratory temporarily measured elevated levels of carbon monoxide, but they were not harmful to health. At noon, the City of Čelákovice revoked the recommendation that people should not ventilate or go out.
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The structural engineer ordered the owner to tear down the roof structure, the perimeter walls of the hall measuring 30 by 80 meters can remain. At around 12:45 p.m., the third level of alarm out of four declared due to the higher number of firefighters and firefighting equipment continued to apply. “There was a minor reduction in forces, two volunteer units left and part of the Čelákovice volunteer unit, which will keep watch at night. Fires are still being extinguished with five streams of water, so there are enough units to take turns,” said Bakalář.
The cause of the fire and the damage estimate are not yet available. City on facebookstated that it was the hall of Zavek. According to Mayor Josef Pátek (ODS), wood and finished furniture were stored in the hall. ČTK has not yet been able to reach the owner of the company.
The fire was reported shortly after 2:00 am. The fire, which affected the hall in full, was contained at 10:10.
There were also representatives of the customs administration around the hall. A fire department spokesman said there were also unaffected warehouses at the scene. “You have to be checked by customs,” he said. “We cannot provide any additional information at the moment, it would interfere with the further investigation,” Yvona Matějková, spokeswoman for Central Bohemian customs, told ČTK. Regional police spokeswoman Adéla Fialová stated on the website that the police will investigate the scene of the fire on Tuesday morning.
The air condition at the site was chemical laboratory from Kamenice. “They have already left, the last measurement was negative,” Bakalář said around 12:45 p.m. According to him, the first measurements found increased CO values, but not in concentrations harmful to health.
Nine units of professional firefighters and 12 volunteers fought the fire. The area is divided into three parts. According to the Bachelor, special Cobra firefighting equipment, a loader and an excavator help. “The loader will help disassemble the material so that it can be extinguished,” added Bakalář. Cobra is a tool for piercing and cutting materials with a water jet. It creates a water mist capable of cooling the space and putting out fire.
The city closed Masarykova Street for firefighting work and changed the bus service. “Buses have canceled the 'Railway station' stop and drive through the city center,” said Čelákovice on the website.
