In Strojnická Street in Prague’s Holešovice, two flats on the third floor were burning on Wednesday, and the fire disrupted the statics of the building. Several fire brigades intervened on the spot, evacuating about fifty people. The second stage of the fire alarm was announced, firefighters informed on Twitter. One man died in the fire, two other people are injured.
Firefighters put out the fire in about an hour and a half, said Martin Kavka, a spokeswoman for the fire brigade, and Lucie Drábková, a spokeswoman for the police. The cause of the accident is not yet known, with police and firefighters investigating. In addition to Strojnická, Bubenská Street and U Smaltovny Street are also closed.
According to the firefighters, the fire was preceded by an explosion, which damaged the partition in the neighboring apartment in the next house, and the flames then spread in both. Firefighters evacuated about 50 people, and a structural engineer was called to the scene.
“There was a partition between the houses, it is a load-bearing partition, there is a structural engineer on site,” said a spokesman for the fire brigade. He later stated that the structural engineer had evaluated the building and decided that the residents of the house could return in addition to the fire-affected flats.
“One person died in the fire, we evacuated several dozen people. At the moment, the fire is extinguished and an investigation is underway in cooperation with the Police of the Czech Republic,” firefighters said on Twitter.
A great tragedy in Strojnická street. Explosion, fire. One death, 15 wounded and 62 evacuated. Our crisis management and Deputy Mayor Kamil Vavřinec Mareš are also on site. We immediately provided apartments and extraordinary financial assistance. I think a lot about all the neighbors that have been affected.
— Jan Čižinský (@jancizinsky) July 1, 2020
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The town hall of the seventh city district provided replacement flats and extraordinary financial assistance for the disabled, and representatives of the crisis management, including Deputy Mayor Kamil Vavřinec Mareš, arrived at the scene of the tragedy. “I think a lot about all the neighbors that were affected,” Mayor Jan Čižinský wrote on Twitter.
“We were sitting in the room, we had the door to the balcony open and suddenly a terrible blow, so we went to look. Suddenly there was terrible smoke, so we thought we would leave the apartment quickly. We have no idea when we will be able to return,” she said. Eva Hnízdilová, a resident of the next house, to the journalists. “I heard the explosion despite the fact that we have windows on the other side. I thought they were repairing something,” said Jan Štěpánský, a resident of the unit.
The incident happened around 08:30, several fire brigades intervened on the spot, the second level of alarm was announced. According to Kavka, the fire was located in half an hour and was extinguished around 10:00. Apartments on the third floor of apartment buildings were on fire. Due to the collapse of the partition, firefighters had to intervene in two entrances.
Rescuers treated two burners, they were conscious. A 62-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man suffered burns on about 15 percent of the body. Another woman (25) inhaled combustion products. All three were taken to hospitals. “Another man suffered injuries incompatible with life and the paramedics could no longer help him despite all efforts,” rescue service spokeswoman Jana Poštová said on Twitter. Carbon monoxide levels were measured in 16 people, and no further care was required, she added.
There are now several dozen police officers on site, including criminal investigators. “They will find out why there was an explosion and a subsequent fire in the apartment,” the police said.
The fire was preceded by an explosion that damaged the partition in the next apartment, the flames spread to both apartments. One person died in the fire, we evacuated several dozen people together with @PolicieCZ and @zzshmp. At the moment, the fire is extinguished and an investigation is underway in cooperation with @PolicieCZ pic.twitter.com/z0Xc8ztP3I
– Firefighters Prague ???? (@HasiciPraha) July 1, 2020
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