Fire rages through two tent halls storing candles in Piotrowice near Otwock, no injuries reported
Firefighters were still putting out a blaze in two tent halls holding candles and wreaths in Piotrowice on Friday, 16 October. A tank that sits close to the burning halls is the focus of efforts to protect it from the flames.
Fire in two tent halls
On Friday, 16 October, firefighters were still putting out a fire in Piotrowice, a village near Otwock in the Masovian voivodeship, where two fabric tent halls holding candles and wreaths were burning. The fire service describes two lightweight commercial structures measuring 30 by 15 metres and 30 by 8 metres, with a height of 4.5 metres. The alarm reached the fire service at 5:40 that morning, according to Bartłomiej Baran, press officer of the Otwock district fire command. Sources differ on when the flames first appeared: one report put it before 6 a.m., while RMF24 and TVP Info placed the outbreak at around 7 a.m., when sirens sounded across the village. The halls were used as a wholesale outlet for candles and wreaths, which is why so much flammable material was stored in one place.
Crews and the blaze's progress
Reports give different numbers of fire crews on site. Polsat News quoted Baran as saying 25 crews were working at the scene, RMF24 reported 27, and TVP Info gave 20 in one passage and 27 in another. The most recent report, published shortly before 7 a.m., did not give a crew count but said the fire was being put out with many small embers still appearing. Karolina Jaworska, a spokesperson for the Warsaw voivodeship fire command, told a radio station that work was ongoing.
At this point the halls are already being put out, though many embers still keep appearing.
- Fire service receives the first report of the incident
- Flames reported to have appeared at the halls
- Fire breaks out in the two tent halls and sirens sound in Piotrowice
Thick smoke limits visibility and poses a risk to the firefighters working inside the perimeter. Services are sending additional forces to stop the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings, which are close enough to be at risk.
Protecting the nearby tank
The current priority, according to Nasz Dziennik, is protecting a tank close to the burning halls that holds paraffin. Other reports call it a fuel tank. Michał Rudzki, the mayor of Karczew, told radio that firefighters had assured him everything was under control at that tank. Officers have not said whether the tank has been affected, and the report does not say how far it stands from the halls.
Road closure, casualties and cause
Road 801 has been completely closed between the roundabout in Sobiekursk and Piotrowice because of the rescue operation, and drivers are being told to use diversions. No injuries have been reported, and services have urged residents to stay away from the area. The cause of the fire is not yet known, and investigators will examine the circumstances once firefighting is complete.