July 9, 2026, 3:32 p.mJuly 9, 2026, 3:34 p.m
The high-rise building had stood since 1955 – now it caught fire for unknown reasons.Video: twitter/cpf
An architecturally valuable high-rise factory building caught fire in Zlin, Czech Republic. The fire department said part of the eleven-story building collapsed. No one was injured because no one was still in the property.
Thick clouds of black smoke could be seen in photos. The fire department declared the highest alert level. Around 300 emergency services were on site to fight the major fire.
A helicopter supported the firefighting work from the air. The industrial city of Zlin is located around 250 kilometers southeast of Prague.
Shoe warehouse burst into flames
According to information, the fire broke out on the ninth floor in the warehouse of a Czech sports shoe brand and spread quickly from there. No information has yet been given about the cause of the fire.
It is still unknown how the fire started.image: x.com
The high-rise factory building number 34 was built between 1949 and 1955 as the central warehouse of what was then the Svit (“Light”) shoe factory, the Bata Works, which was nationalized by the communists.
High property damage expected
The surrounding area was cordoned off extensively. The city administration asked Zlin residents to keep their windows and doors closed. The material damage to the stock of the affected sports shoe brand Vasky alone was estimated by its owner at the equivalent of around 5.5 to 6.9 million francs, as the CTK agency reported. Around 75,000 pairs were destroyed. (sda/dpa)