Historic Zlín Baťa building to be demolished in wake of devastating fire

A landmark building in Zlín’s former Baťa industrial complex will likely be demolished after a devastating fire left the structure beyond repair, city officials said. No one was injured in the blaze, but the fire caused major damage to offices, warehouses and businesses operating inside the building.

Police are investigating the fire as a possible case of negligent public endangerment. If a person is found responsible, they could face up to five years in prison, authorities said.

The fire broke out Thursday morning in Building No. 34, an 11-story structure in the center of Zlín that dates back to the postwar expansion of the Baťa industrial area. Firefighters brought the blaze under control overnight, but parts of the building collapsed and the remaining structure is considered unstable.

Zlín Mayor Jiří Korec said a structural engineer had determined that the building could no longer be saved. If the remaining sections do not collapse on their own, the owner will be ordered to arrange demolition.

“According to the structural engineer’s assessment, it is no longer possible to save the building,” Korec said. He added that the structure could become even more unstable as it cools.

A safety zone has been established around the building, with restrictions on traffic and pedestrian movement in the area. The city expects firefighters to hand the site over to the owner, property company Cream, on Monday.

The company had planned to renovate the building next year, creating apartments and commercial spaces. Those plans are now uncertain as authorities focus on securing the damaged structure and assessing the losses.

The fire is expected to cause significant financial damage for companies that used the building for storage and offices. Police said the cause of the fire remains unknown, and the full extent of the damage will take time to calculate.

The blaze is believed to have started in the ninth-floor warehouse of footwear company Vasky before spreading to other floors and the roof. The company said its warehouse contained around 75,000 pairs of shoes, clothing and accessories from its Vasky and Botas brands.

Vasky founder Václav Staněk estimated the value of the stored goods at CZK 150 million to CZK 180 million, though police have so far estimated the damage to the company’s stock at CZK 60 million to CZK 80 million.

Outdoor clothing company Alpine Pro, which supplies apparel for the Czech Olympic team, also had goods stored in the building. The company said its losses could exceed hundreds of millions of Czech crowns.

The fire also destroyed thousands of books belonging to the Tomáš Baťa Foundation, including a special edition marking the 150th anniversary of Baťa’s birth.

Several hundred firefighters have taken part in the response, using ground equipment, drones and helicopter water drops to contain the blaze. Firefighters have continued cooling the remains of the building while monitoring the risk of further collapse.

Authorities have not yet been able to fully inspect the site because of safety concerns. Police said investigators will begin examining the scene once conditions allow.

The historic building was constructed in the late 1940s and early 1950s as a central shoe warehouse during the development of the Baťa industrial district, one of Zlín’s defining landmarks.