Fire at Pula recycling centre extinguished; firefighter injured
City authorities said the Metis site blaze was out by Saturday morning and air pollution had not reached levels dangerous to health.
A large fire at the Metis recycling centre in Pula, Croatia, was fully extinguished by 06:50 on Saturday 10 October after burning overnight, the city authorities said. A firefighter suffered minor injuries during the response and was released from Pula General Hospital after examination, according to Index.hr and Novi list.
The fire began during the early evening on Friday 9 October in mixed waste stored at the site. Plastic and wood were among the materials involved. Fire crews contained the flames later that evening before continuing work overnight, the two Croatian publications reported. Firefighters and company employees remained at the location afterwards as a precaution.
Thick black smoke moved across Pula's Šijana neighbourhood on Friday evening. Traffic police temporarily closed part of Valica Street to allow emergency vehicles to work at the scene. The operation involved 25 firefighters and 11 vehicles from Pula's public fire service and volunteer brigades from Pula and Medulin.
City officials initially urged people in Šijana, Veli Vrh and Štinjan to stay indoors and keep windows closed because of smoke. On Saturday, Mayor Peđa Grbin said information from the county public-health institute indicated that pollution had not reached levels dangerous to residents' health, according to 24sata. The city then said the immediate smoke danger had passed.
Police were investigating the cause, the mayor said. He also called for the authorities to consider whether other recent fires at waste-related sites in the region were linked. That suggestion was a request for investigation, not evidence establishing a connection between incidents.
The mayor said municipal planning could provide for moving the existing operation farther from populated areas. That is a proposal, not a completed relocation. The supplied material did not give an estimate of the financial damage, the quantity of waste destroyed or the date when the recycling site would resume normal operations.
The fire affected an industrial waste-handling location rather than a residential structure, but smoke and the emergency response temporarily affected surrounding streets and neighbourhoods. The injury reported was to one firefighter; no other injuries were confirmed in the available sources.
What we know
- 2+ outlets · Index.hr, Novi list The Metis fire started on 9 October and was extinguished by 06:50 on 10 October.
- 2+ outlets · Index.hr, Novi list One firefighter sustained minor injuries and was discharged from hospital.
- 1 outlet · Index.hr Fire crews responded with 25 firefighters and 11 vehicles.
- 1 outlet · Index.hr Local residents were initially advised to stay indoors because of smoke.
- 1 outlet · 24sata The mayor cited health officials as saying pollution was not at levels dangerous to health.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The definitive cause of the fire.
- Unconfirmed The total damage and reopening date.
- Unconfirmed Whether this incident was connected to other regional fires.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The fire involved mixed waste including plastic, creating smoke that prompted temporary public-health precautions across nearby Pula neighbourhoods. Authorities later lifted the immediate smoke concern while police continued investigating the cause.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Was the Pula recycling-site fire extinguished?
- Yes. City officials reported it extinguished at 06:50 on 10 October.
- Were there injuries?
- One firefighter was slightly injured and later discharged from hospital.
- Was the smoke dangerous?
- The mayor said county health information indicated pollution had not reached dangerous levels.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.