The City’s Rougher Side, Unfiltered.

Massive fire causes building collapse at former Bata factory complex in eastern Czechia

July 9, 2026 at 16:03

A major fire tore through a warehouse in a high-rise building at the former Bata factory complex in Zlín, in the eastern Czech region of Moravia, on Thursday, causing parts of the structure to collapse as hundreds of firefighters battled the blaze.

Firefighters battle a large blaze at a multi-storey industrial building as thick black smoke rises above Zlín. Photo: Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic

The fire reportedly broke out shortly before 8:30 a.m. in a shoe warehouse on the ninth floor of Building 34, which is leased by Czech footwear company Vasky. Firefighters said the blaze spread across the entire floor and continued to grow. More than 40 fire units, involving around 300 firefighters, were deployed to the scene. Police helicopters equipped with water buckets later joined the firefighting effort, with a second helicopter added during the afternoon.

Firefighters reported that sections of the fire-damaged building collapsed during the afternoon. They said no one was inside the building at the time, and no injuries have been reported. Rescue operations have been coordinated with structural engineers because of the ongoing risk of further collapses.

Police said about 100 people were initially evacuated from the ninth floor, while additional nearby buildings were later cleared as a precaution. Streets surrounding the site remain closed, and drones are being used to monitor the fire and surrounding structures.

Authorities estimate the damage to the stored footwear at between CZK 60 million and CZK 80 million. Vasky founder Václav Staněk said the warehouse contained around 75,000 pairs of shoes, along with clothing and accessories from the Vasky and Botas brands, with an estimated retail value of CZK 150 million to CZK 180 million. He described the facility as the company’s only central warehouse and said the business is insured.

Dense black smoke has been visible across much of Zlín. The city advised residents in the centre and the Letná district to keep windows closed and limit ventilation within a one-kilometre radius of the fire. A mobile chemical laboratory was dispatched to monitor air quality.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by police and fire investigators.