Firefighters put out fire in industrial complex after 18-hour battle

Firefighters in Ždánice in South Moravia finally managed to put out a fire in an industrial complex on Saturday afternoon after an almost 18-hour battle. Around 130 to 140 firefighters were on the scene tackling the fire, eight of whom received mild injuries.

The fire caused some chemical substances, mainly alkalines based on lye, to leak out into a nearby stream. Environment minister Petr Hladík dubbed it "a serious incident" and said that firefighters and rescue services were doing everything in their power to prevent the contaminants from reaching the river Dyje. The cause of the fire is so far still unknown.