Night Drama on Gorica: Fireworks Spark Blaze
The fire broke out shortly after midnight between Od Gorice and Josip Kosor streets and was contained by 1:45 a.m. A total of 26 firefighters with seven vehicles and a firefighting boat were on the scene.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight between Od Gorice and Josip Kosor streets and was contained by 1:45 a.m. A total of 26 firefighters with seven vehicles and a firefighting boat were on the scene.
Tonight, shortly after midnight, a large forest fire broke out in the Dubrovnik area of Gorica, quickly engulfing a significant area. According to information from the scene, the fire was reported in the early hours of the night, and firefighters faced challenging conditions - strong winds and extremely dry terrain. Thanks to a swift and coordinated response, the fire was successfully contained by 1:45 a.m.
A total of 26 firefighters took part in the extinguishing operation. The main force consisted of 22 firefighters from the Dubrovnik Public Fire Brigade, who arrived at the scene with seven vehicles. They were assisted by four firefighters from the Zaton Volunteer Fire Department, and the firefighting boat Orlando was also deployed. Their rapid response prevented the fire from spreading further.
The fire affected an area of approximately 6,000 square meters, with dimensions of about 50 by 120 meters. Although the official cause has not yet been confirmed, several unofficial reports on the ground point to human factors. According to the Dubrovnik Insider portal, witnesses heard and saw fireworks shortly before the fire broke out. Additional suspicion was raised by the discovery of pyrotechnics packaging in nearby Josip Kosor Street.
The situation was further complicated by explosions heard from the fire site. According to initial reports, two leftover grenades from the Homeland War exploded due to the fire. These claims, as well as suspicions about fireworks as the cause, have yet to be confirmed by the authorities. At this point, all of this is unofficial information, and more concrete details about the cause will be known after the investigation is completed.
Despite the nighttime conditions and dangers on the ground, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control. Further activities on the ground are now focused on securing the fire site and preventing any potential flare-ups. Photos from the scene were taken by photographer Maro Bošnjak.
County Fire Commander Stjepan Simović explained that the most challenging part was the southern section of the fire site towards the sea, where the terrain is steep, rocky, and inaccessible. "The situation is better, but the part towards the sea is still problematic, so the boat 'Orlando' arrived. It looked really serious," Simović said around midnight. For safety reasons, the police closed traffic in the area from the direction of Hladnica and from the building of the 112 Center, allowing passage only to residents. According to residents, fireworks were heard before the fire, and the report came in at 0:20 a.m.
