Massive blaze destroys former media tower in Croatian capital

Firefighters in Zagreb, Croatia, have been battling a massive blaze for nearly 24 hours after a 16-story high-rise—formerly home to the editorial offices of the newspaper Vjesnik—caught fire late on November 17. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the building has been almost entirely destroyed.

The fire ignited on one of the upper floors before rapidly spreading throughout the structure. Nearly 100 firefighters and around 30 fire engines worked through the night to contain the blaze. By morning, flames were still visible in several sections, and fragments of the façade continued to fall from the structure, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Due to the threat of collapse, emergency crews have been operating exclusively from outside the building. Officials estimate that a full extinguishment will take the entire day. Traffic along Slavonska Avenue, which runs adjacent to the high-rise, has been temporarily shut down. Authorities confirmed that there have been no injuries.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Police stated that an investigation will commence once firefighters deem the site safe for inspection.

The incident comes amid a series of recent major fires in several countries. Earlier, a trial opened in North Macedonia concerning a nightclub fire that resulted in more than 60 deaths, while last week firefighters in Riga responded to a significant blaze at a metal recycling facility.

By Vafa Guliyeva