Employees tried to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers, but the flames engulfed the entire trailer. Firefighters put out the fire in 28 minutes and saved a trailer parked nearby.
The morning emergency occurred on the grounds of a business in the Uzhhorod district. In the village of Baranintsi on Yevropeiska Street, a temporary structure caught fire, and the intense heat caused the property of a nearby freight vehicle to begin melting.
Thanks to the timely call to the fire and rescue units, significantly greater property damage was prevented.
Attempts to extinguish the fire on their own and the threat to the vehicles
Workers at the facility were the first to notice the smoke. After assessing the situation, they immediately called emergency responders at “101” and, until their arrival, tried to contain the fire using primary firefighting equipment—fire extinguishers. However, the flames quickly spread through the combustible materials.
By the time State Emergency Service firefighters arrived, the metal trailer was already completely engulfed in flames across its entire surface. The situation was critical because a cargo semi-trailer was parked right next to the burning structure: due to the extreme heat, its protective tarp had already begun to warp and melt.
Fire extinguished in 28 minutes
By directing water streams to cool the semi-trailer and contain the fire’s source, the firefighters eliminated the threat to the vehicle. It took the firefighters 28 minutes to fully extinguish the fire.
As a result of the fire, the property inside the temporary structure was completely destroyed, and the fire also damaged the semi-trailer’s outer tarp. Most importantly, the firefighters managed to save the cargo vehicle itself from destruction.
According to preliminary findings by experts from the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zakarpattia Oblast, the probable cause of the fire was a metal stove (“burzhuika”) that had been left unattended while in use.
Rescue Workers’ Warnings Regarding the Heating Season
The State Emergency Service urges residents of the region and business leaders to strictly adhere to fire safety rules when using heating devices:
- It is strictly prohibited to leave burning stoves, potbelly stoves, and electric space heaters unattended;
- do not place flammable items, paper, or rags near heated surfaces;
- ensure that industrial and utility facilities are equipped with serviceable fire extinguishers and check the condition of chimneys regularly.
Source: Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zakarpattia Oblast.
