Highest alert declared as shoe warehouse fire breaks out in Zlín

A major fire has been burning since this morning in a shoe warehouse on the ninth floor of Building 34 in the former Baťa industrial complex in Zlín. Firefighters declared a special alarm level – the highest of the country's four emergency alert levels – late this morning, a status reserved for extraordinary incidents. As a precaution, all surrounding buildings are being evacuated, regional fire service spokesperson Pavel Řezníček told the Czech News Agency.

According to emergency medical services, no injuries have been reported so far. The city has advised residents to keep their windows closed and limit ventilation due to the smoke. Streets around the burning building have been closed, and police say significant property damage is expected. The fire broke out in a building owned by the company Cream. The affected floor is leased by the Zlín-based footwear company Vasky.