Fire broke out in Warsaw’s historic BGK building, prompting evacuation of approximately 200 construction workers with no injuries reported.
Fire Breaks Out in Warsaw
The fire was reported at 14:18. The evacuated individuals were employees performing renovation work in the building. According to preliminary information, the fire broke out in the renovated building. Approximately 200 people were evacuated, and no one was injured.
Fire in BGK Building Undergoing Renovation
The fire occurred in the basement of the historic BGK headquarters, which is undergoing comprehensive modernization. During the work, smoke appeared, most likely as a result of a short circuit in the electrical installation. All construction workers left the endangered area on their own. During the firefighting operation, two lanes of Aleje Jerozolimskie toward the Vistula were blocked, causing significant traffic disruptions in the area of Charles de Gaulle Roundabout.
According to tvn24.pl, after 16:00, services left the scene.
Historic Landmark Faces Modernization Challenges
The building itself is one of the recognizable examples of interwar modernism in central Warsaw. It was built in 1928-1931 according to the design of Rudolf Świerczyński and was expanded after World War II. The facility is located at Aleje Jerozolimskie 7, in the area of Charles de Gaulle Roundabout.
Reports on the modernization also emphasized that the work must take into account conservation requirements, and the technical condition of the building after years of operation proved to be more complex than expected.