Firefighters continue battle with Karlovac warehouse fire

Following Monday’s fire at an industrial warehouse in Karlovac, firefighters are still working to extinguish the blaze. 

Police say the investigation into the cause of the fire cannot begin until it is fully extinguished, which could take several days. The warehouse contained chemical solvents, and firefighters are working to cool the building and make it safe.

“We’ll also have to keep watch overnight tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll have to figure out how to remove these materials from the warehouse, because there’s no other way to put out the fire,” Karlovac Fire Department Chief Miro Rade said.

Meanwhile, a section of the Mrežnica River is being cleaned up after some of the wastewater generated during firefighting leaked into the river yesterday.

“The cleanup of the Mrežnica River began yesterday with the installation of floating barriers. Today, a licensed company will arrive to pump out the pollution,” said Vladimir Žakula of Hrvatske vode, the country’s water management company.

Karlovac city authorities said air quality had been analyzed at three locations by the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Public Health Bureau.

According to a report on chemical-factor testing, the measurements showed no exceedances of exposure limits or short-term exposure limits for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane or other measured gases.