One of the most deadly incidents in Prague’s history occurred precisely thirty years ago, on the evening of May 26th, 1995. A fire broke out at the Olympik Hotel, which left eight people dead and numerous others injured. It still continues to be the deadliest fire in the modern history of Prague.
The first reports of the fire were picked up by the hotel’s electrical fire alarm system. Two hotel staff members rushed to investigate and confirmed the initial warning. The alert had escalated to a full alarm within minutes.
Multiple emergency calls were placed to Prague’s Fire Rescue Operations Center, and the first crews from the Central and Holešovice stations were dispatched to the hotel.
Within 10 minutes, as thick black smoke visibly poured from the windows, first responders reached the scene. The quickly deteriorating situation prompted the fire commander to declare a Level III emergency, bringing additional units to the site and organizing rescue operations.
Meanwhile, on the inside, the fire had already begun climbing rapidly upward through stairwells from the 11th floor. Initial firefighting attempts by hotel employees using handheld extinguishers were unsuccessful due to the high intensity of the flames. Panic soon spread among guests, many of whom were caught off guard.
As conditions worsened, some guests became trapped in smoke-filled rooms and resorted to climbing onto window ledges, desperately awaiting rescue. Emergency crews deployed aerial platforms and ladders to evacuate those stranded on the building’s exterior.
After a while, two rescue helicopters were also dispatched to the scene. Ambulances began taking injured guests to hospitals, but the building’s extreme heat, thick smoke, and general confusion made rescue operations extremely difficult.
Ultimately, the human cost of the fire was staggering. One man and seven women, all foreign nationals, lost their lives in the blaze. An additional 34 people sustained injuries of varying severity.
Later investigation revealed that the source of the fire was an electrical refrigerator located in a storage area with insufficient ventilation. Investigators determined that combustible materials, such as textiles and magazines, had been placed on top of the fridge, significantly contributing to the ignition.
The investigation also revealed critical safety vulnerabilities. Flammable construction materials used for the corridor carpeting and ceiling panels accelerated the spread of the flames. The lack of effective vertical ventilation within the structure was found to worsen the rescue conditions.
In the wake of this devastating event, the Olympik Hotel underwent extensive renovation and restructuring. Additionally, the disaster influenced fire safety regulations throughout the Czech Republic, leading authorities to implement new standards.
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