Police file criminal charges against a 50-year-old Romanian, while firefighters from the Oriovac Volunteer Fire Department battled two highway fires in just a few hours. Meanwhile, a fire in Križevci was brought under control.
Sunday, August 2, 2026, proved to be an exceptionally demanding day for firefighters and emergency services in the regions of Slavonia and central Croatia. Two separate car fires occurred on the A3 motorway, the first of which resulted in serious injuries to four Romanian nationals, while a fire broke out in an open area in Križevci that was quickly brought under control.
The first and most severe incident occurred early in the morning, around 7:20 AM, on the A3 motorway near Stari Petrovac Selo. According to the police investigation, a 50-year-old citizen of Romania, driving a passenger car with British license plates, fell asleep while driving. The vehicle veered off the road onto the grassy verge, struck a single-sided metal guardrail, bounced back onto the roadway, and then caught fire.
In addition to the driver, there were three other passengers in the car, all Romanian nationals: a 45-year-old woman, a 27-year-old man, and a younger individual. All passengers sustained serious injuries, while the 50-year-old driver suffered minor injuries. They received medical attention at hospitals in Slavonski Brod and Nova Gradiška, where they were admitted for further treatment. Members of the Oriovac Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene.
Police officers have announced that they will file criminal charges against the 50-year-old driver. The charges will be submitted to the Municipal State Attorney's Office in Slavonski Brod on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of causing a traffic accident in road traffic.
The firefighters of the Oriovac Volunteer Fire Department did not have long to rest. On the same day, at 2:19 PM, a new report of a car fire came in, this time on the A3 motorway near the Lužani exit. One fire engine with three firefighters was dispatched, while an additional seven firefighters were on standby at the station. The intervention was successfully completed at 5:11 PM, but the Audi car was completely destroyed. "There was absolutely nothing left of the car," the firefighters' report stated. Information about the cause of the fire and any potential injuries has not yet been released.
Meanwhile, in the evening hours of August 2, a fire broke out in an open area on Radnički dol Street in Križevci. Local firefighters quickly responded and, with an efficient intervention, contained the fire and brought it fully under control. The site is currently being cleaned up, and the cause of the fire will be determined following the investigation.
