Fire in Podstrana near Hotel Lav: Three Firefighting Units Intervened
On Friday evening, a fire broke out near the Le Meridien Lav hotel in Podstrana, close to Split. Firefighters from Žrnovnica, Podstrana, and Split responded to the scene.
On Friday evening, a fire broke out near the Le Meridien Lav hotel in Podstrana, close to Split. Firefighters from Žrnovnica, Podstrana, and Split responded to the scene.
On Friday evening, July 24, 2026, a fire broke out in Podstrana in the area near the Le Meridien Lav hotel, commonly known as Hotel Lav. The fire crews from the Žrnovnica Volunteer Fire Department, Podstrana Volunteer Fire Department, and the Split Public Fire Department responded to the incident, Slobodna Dalmacija reported.
The fire required the engagement of firefighters from three different units. The Žrnovnica Volunteer Fire Department and the Podstrana Volunteer Fire Department joined the professional Split Public Fire Department to jointly tackle the blaze. The circumstances of the fire's outbreak are currently unknown, according to Jutarnji list.
According to a report from the 24sata portal, the fire was intense enough to cause material damage to nearby vehicles. An anonymous tourist who was at the scene stated, "The handle of my car melted. The children are scared." This testimony indicates the proximity of the fire to the parking areas around the hotel, but more detailed information about the material damage or any potential injuries was not available at the time of publication.
News of the fire and a video of the intervention were posted by firefighters on the Facebook page "Firefighters 193," allowing for rapid public dissemination of the event. The footage drew attention and prompted sharing of the news via social networks.
Podstrana is a coastal municipality located just south of Split, known for its dense tourist infrastructure. The Le Meridien Lav hotel is one of the most prestigious hotel properties in the municipality and the broader Split Riviera, with a capacity that attracts guests from around the world. Fires near tourist facilities are particularly sensitive due to the concentration of guests and vehicles, and the summer period, with high temperatures and dry vegetation, increases the risk of rapid fire spread. Fire departments in the Split-Dalmatia region are regularly engaged during the summer months due to the frequency of open-space fires.
At the time of the news release, no information was available regarding the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage, or whether anyone was injured. Slobodna Dalmacija announced a more detailed report, but the specifics of the operation, including the duration of extinguishing and the area affected by the fire, have not yet been published. Neither has it been reported whether the fire only affected the surrounding vegetation or threatened the hotel building itself.
