Large fire at Biedronka store forces alert in Jastrzębie-Zdrój
Dozens of firefighters battled a blaze at a supermarket in southern Poland on Wednesday night, after which authorities warned residents about air pollution.
A large fire broke out at a Biedronka supermarket on Niepodległości street in Jastrzębie-Zdrój, a city in Poland's Silesian region, in the early evening on Wednesday, sending a column of smoke over the city, Onet Wiadomości reported. The blaze started on part of the roof fitted with solar panels and later spread inside the building, Silesian regional fire brigade spokeswoman Aneta Gołębiowska said.
More than 20 fire engines were sent to the scene from the fire brigades of Bielsko-Biała, Rybnik and Wodzisław Śląski, with ladder trucks also arriving from Wodzisław Śląski and Żory, according to WP Wiadomości. RMF24 put the number of fire engine companies involved at more than 25, a higher count than WP's figure; local officials did not clarify which count was more accurate. The fire spread across roughly 500 square metres of the building, WP reported, and firefighting was expected to continue into the morning.
No one was hurt. Everyone inside the shop had left the building before firefighters arrived, local fire brigade junior brigadier Łukasz Cepiel told RMF FM. The fire was still burning past midnight, Onet reported, and police closed the road next to the building in both directions to secure the scene while firefighters continued working.
Poland's Government Centre for Security, known as RCB, sent an alert to residents of the Bzie Dolne estate in Jastrzębie-Zdrój later that night, warning that the air could be polluted by the fire. "The air may be polluted. Do not leave your home, do not open windows," the RCB alert said.
News of the fire and the emergency response by firefighters and the RCB was also carried nationally by the Polish Press Agency, PAP, as residents in the area waited for confirmation that the blaze had been brought fully under control.
What we know
- A fire broke out at a Biedronka store in Jastrzębie-Zdrój on Wednesday evening, fire officials said.
- More than 20 fire engines were sent to the scene, though RMF24 put the figure at more than 25; firefighting was expected to continue until morning.
- No injuries were reported; everyone in the shop had left before firefighters arrived.
- The fire spread across roughly 500 square metres of the building, WP Wiadomości reported.
- Poland's Government Centre for Security warned residents of possible air pollution and urged them to stay indoors.
Why it matters for Europe
The fire forced an official air-quality alert covering part of Jastrzębie-Zdrój, showing how a rooftop solar-panel fire at a single supermarket can escalate into a wider public-safety response even without any reported injuries.
Crews from four towns across Poland's Silesian region needed hours to contain the blaze, with firefighting expected to continue into Thursday morning and the fire still not reported extinguished in the early hours, according to Onet, RMF24 and WP Wiadomości.
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Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
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Questions and answers
- Was anyone hurt in the Jastrzębie-Zdrój fire?
- No injuries were reported; everyone inside the Biedronka store had left before firefighters arrived, a fire brigade spokesman said.
- Why did authorities issue an alert?
- Poland's Government Centre for Security warned residents the air could be polluted by smoke and urged them to stay indoors with windows closed.
- How many firefighters responded?
- More than 20 fire engines were sent, according to WP Wiadomości, though RMF24 put the number of fire engine companies involved at more than 25.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.