Fire at the CIAK facility in Zabok has been contained

One thousand and six hundred square meters of storage area and roof have been destroyed by the fire. However, the true extent of the damage will be established once engineers have ensured the building's structural integrity. Most importantly however, no one was injured in the fire.

The fire that broke out last night at the CIAK hazardous waste recycling facility near Zabok has been contained thanks to the efforts of some sixty firefighters and twenty fire trucks dispatched to extinguish the blaze. Fire Chief Dražen Sinković: “The fire had already spread considerably by the time we arrived on the scene. But, through external fire suppression techniques we were able to keep the outside areas of the facility cool. By this time, at around three AM, all volunteer fire fighters had arrived on scene and we were then able to reduce the temperature within the facility itself.”

And while the facility could not be saved, firefighters ensured that it did not spread to neighboring buildings. Krapina-Zagorje County Prefect Željko Kolar: “The firefighters did a mammoth job given that there were solar panels on the rooftop, and given that there were various barrels inside that led to intermittent detonations. Vitally, they received much needed information from CIAK employees with regards to the exact areas and amounts that various items were stored within the facility. This made it much easier for the firefighters to organize their efforts.”

And while no significant deviations have been detected in terms of air quality, organic solvent compounds have been detected at the scene of the fire. As such medical authorities have called on locals, especially the elderly, children and people with chronic respiratory ailments, to keep their windows and doors closed for a little longer and to avoid going outdoors. The Deputy Director of the Public Health Institute "Dr. Andrija Štampar", Bruno Cvetković: “We recommend people avoid the area and for people keep their windows and doors closed. People may suffer from irritation in the nose, throat and lungs. Higher concentrations of smoke inhalation may lead to more severe symptoms like confusion and fatigue.”

Source: HRT