Firefighters respond to a fire in a wood processing hall, March 13, 2023, Čelákovice.
Čelákovice (near Prague) – More than a hundred firefighters have been responding to a fire in a wood processing hall in Čelákovice since early morning. The on-site chemical laboratory measured increased values of carbon monoxide CO, but they are not harmful to health. Due to the higher number of firefighters and firefighting equipment, the third level of alarm out of four possible is announced. One volunteer firefighter was slightly injured. Firefighters' spokesman Tomáš Bakalář told ČTK. The hall measures 30 by 80 meters. The cause of the fire and damage estimate are not yet available. Firefighters still do not have the fire under control.
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The dark gray smoke billowing from the site in the morning was visible from a wide area. Around 9:00 a.m., according to the ČTK reporter, the smoke cloud was noticeably smaller and only above the campus. “A mobile air measuring station is passing through the city. Fortunately, the smoke does not affect the entire city, but a narrow strip,” the city of Čelákovice said on its website. Schools in the direction of the smoke were notified.
The fire was reported shortly after 2am. “The hall was hit to the full extent, the firefighting operation is being carried out from high-rise equipment from outside and inside, as the situation allows, now we have to get the fire under control, which has not been possible yet,” said Bakalář to ČTK around 9:30 a.m.
< p>According to him, there are nine units of professional firefighters and 12 volunteer ones. The area of the fire is divided into three parts, according to the Bachelor, the firefighters will probably extinguish it for the next few hours. According to him, special Cobra firefighting equipment, a loader and an excavator will also arrive. “The loader will help dismantle the material so that it can be extinguished,” added Bakalář.
The chemical laboratory from Kamenice measured the air condition on site. “Elevated CO values were measured, but they do not exceed the reference values that would be harmful to health,” said Bakalář.
City on Facebook stated that it is the Zavek company hall. According to Mayor Josef Pátek (ODS), people should not ventilate and should not go outside. “We have everything here that has wheels and can carry water,” he told ČTK after 8:00. On Facebook, the city stated that Masarykova Street in the vicinity of the fire is closed to traffic due to firefighting equipment on site. “Buses have canceled the 'Railway station' stop and drive through the city center,” the city also stated on its website.
The hall is located in an industrial zone, surrounded by other halls that firefighters are protecting from the spread of the fire.
