Zakopane’s Hotel Belvedere up in flames
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
27.12.2014 12:25
Firefighters are putting out the remains of a fire, Saturday, which engulfed around 800 square metres of the roof of the luxury Hotel Belvedere in Poland’s mountain resort of Zakopane.
Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot
Over 400 people were evacuated and no-one was hurt, the Malopolska region fire services spokesman Sebastian Wozniak said.
“The fire-fighting was difficult due to the complicated construction of the roof,” Wozniak added, saying that firefighters had to wear special breathing apparatus due to the large quantities of smoke.
As many as 25 fire-fighting units were called out to the blaze, with reserves being brought in from nearby Nowy Targ and specialist equipment from as far afield as Krakow, some 100km away.
Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot
The fire broke out in highest floors of the hotel in the early hours of Saturday morning, around 4am local time. It is still not known what caused the blaze.
The hotel evacuated all 401 guests and relocated them to other hotels, with Zakopane authorities also declaring their readiness to help the affected parties.
The four-star Hotel Belvedere is one of Zakopane’s most luxurious hotels, housing 175 rooms and apartments in the vicinity of the Tatra National Park. It had recently undergone extensive renovations. (jb)
Source: PAP
Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot