A massive blaze tore through the former headquarters of the Vjesnik publishing house in Zagreb late Monday night, with nearly 100 firefighters battling flames that continue to spread through multiple floors, Croatian media reported.
The fire was reported around 11 p.m. inside the largely abandoned high-rise building located on Slavonska Avenue. No people were inside at the time of the outbreak, authorities said, and gas and electricity were shut off as a precaution.
Around 100 firefighters and 30 fire engines have been deployed. Zagreb Fire Department commander Siniša Jembrih said he expects crews may bring the blaze under control later Tuesday, but warned that the operation will be lengthy due to heavy smoke, flames moving through ventilation shafts and large amounts of paper and equipment stored inside.
“The damage is huge. The fire spread vertically and even reached lower floors. Due to increased risk, firefighters were temporarily pulled from the interior,” Jembrih said.
Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, who visited the scene early Tuesday morning, described the damage as “total”, adding that structural experts will determine whether the building must be demolished or repaired.
“The most important thing is that there are no casualties and that firefighter safety remains the absolute priority,” he said.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations will begin once the site is fully secured.