Barajevo Warehouse Fire Contained, Eko-Dez Worker Arrested
A fire at a hazardous materials warehouse in Barajevo is under control with no injuries, and A. R. (57), an employee of the company that owns the warehouse, has reportedly been arrested.
The fire at a hazardous materials warehouse in Barajevo was contained on October 7, and A. R. (57), a worker at Eko-Dez, the company whose warehouse burned, has reportedly been arrested on the order of the competent prosecutor’s office. No one was injured or killed, and 17 people were evacuated from nearby houses as a precaution.
Earlier we reported only the Interior Ministry (MUP) warning telling residents to close their windows. Since then, the outcome of the response and the first details about the suspect have emerged.
Where did the fire break out and what was in the warehouse?
The fire started at about 9:30 a.m. at 72 Zivka Stevanovica Zikice Street in the Belgrade municipality of Barajevo. Informer, citing the MUP, reports that the warehouse is in the Bozdarevac settlement. The same outlet said in its first, unofficial version that the fire began at 9:23 a.m.
The building stored disinfection, pest control and rodent control products. The warehouse belongs to Eko-Dez.
Reports differ on the number of firefighters. The first one spoke of four vehicles and 28 firefighter-rescuers. Informer later reported, again citing the MUP, that 29 firefighter-rescuers and 11 vehicles took part in the response. After the fire was contained, firefighters and police stayed at the scene to prevent it from flaring up again.
Evacuation and the warning to residents
As a precaution, 17 people whose homes are right next to the warehouse were evacuated. The Barajevo emergency medical service, whose team was on duty at the scene, also confirmed that no one was hurt.
Around noon, the MUP’s Emergency Management Sector sent Barajevo residents a text message warning of toxic smoke. The message read: “Close all windows in buildings” and “Do not stay outdoors under any circumstances until further notice.” An ecotoxicology team from the City Institute of Public Health was also notified about the fire.
What is known about the arrest?
The report of the arrest originates with Telegraf and was carried by Nova.rs. Unofficially, on the order of the competent prosecutor’s office, MUP officers detained A. R., an Eko-Dez employee, on suspicion of causing a general danger, a criminal offense. The suspect has been placed in police custody for up to 48 hours, within which he is to be brought in for questioning along with a criminal complaint.
Reports also differ on the charge. Informer writes that the worker was arrested on suspicion of setting the fire, while Telegraf and Nova.rs cite only causing a general danger. We found no official prosecutor’s statement on the arrest by the time of publication, so the information is relayed as unofficial. The suspect is accused of a criminal offense, and guilt has not been established.
What happens next?
The Emergency Management Inspectorate and the criminal police are due to carry out an on-site investigation. They are to establish how the fire started and whether Eko-Dez complied with the rules on safe storage of hazardous materials. The results of the investigation have not been published so far.
