Aerosol factory fire in Charnowo triggers explosion risk and evacuations

Fire breaks out

Black smoke rose over Charnowo, a village near the Baltic coast resort of Ustka, shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Sunday as a fire engulfed an aerosol factory. The blaze was reported at a plant producing pressurised containers, according to fire service officers. Residents described seeing a thick column of smoke visible from several kilometres away.

Explosion threat

Firefighters arriving on scene faced not only high outdoor temperatures but also a building packed with flammable pressurised products. The risk of explosion forced a rapid escalation of the response, with 27 firefighting units (zastępy) drawn from across Pomerania, according to local media.

The situation is serious. This is a fire at a plant producing pressure containers. There is a significant explosion hazard. We may also have to evacuate some residents.

Evacuations and safety advice

By early afternoon police had started evacuating people from nearby houses, TVN24 reported. The Ustka municipality issued an alert telling residents to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and switch off mechanical ventilation because of possible harmful substances in the air.

Due to the fire in Charnowo and the possible presence of harmful substances in the air, please stay at home and limit going outside to the absolute minimum. We recommend closing windows and doors and turning off mechanical ventilation.

Investigation and ongoing response

No injuries had been reported by the time 27 units were committed. The cause of the fire remained unknown, and the operation was still in progress at 14:20 local time. High temperatures and the specific nature of the materials inside the plant complicated the effort, while crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings after parts of the roof reportedly collapsed.