Gale‑strength wind and thunderstorms tore across Poland on Thursday, prompting more than 1,200 fire‑brigade responses nationwide and leaving several injured.
Warsaw Battles Hailstorm
On Thursday afternoon, October 30, Warsaw was struck by a violent but brief thunderstorm that produced heavy rain and hail. Captain Łukasz Zagdański of the Warsaw Fire‑Rescue reported that firefighters logged dozens of interventions, mainly for fallen trees and debris. The largest numbers came from Wawra, Rembertów and Wilanów. In Mokotów a balcony fragment fell; on Saska Street a pedestrian was hit by a falling branch while waiting at a bus stop and sustained arm and facial injuries.
Nationwide Fire‑Brigade Response
By 18:00 the national fire‑brisket, named the State Fire Service, had responded 1,265 times. The Masovian Voivodeship led with 240 incidents, followed by Greater Poland (154), Łódź (151), Lower Silesia (142) and West Pomeranian (133). Calls mainly involved broken trees, damaged high‑voltage lines and torn roofs. Traffic disruptions were frequent as crews worked in many locations.
Deadly Incident in Lubin
At about 15:30 a strong wind gust knocked a tree onto a road in Lubin, Lower Silesia. A car collided with the tree, injuring two women. Two other vehicles collided in a head‑on collision on the opposite lane, adding two more injuries. All wounded were taken to hospitals.
Wrecks Across Wrocław and the North
In Wrocław, a tree fell onto a building on Tęczowa Street. Firefighters were delayed by five parked cars blocking access; once removed, they removed the tree. Residents stayed home for safety. In northern Poland, wind forced the closure of Koszalin’s Community Cemetery, with gates shut at 17:30 to mitigate falling‑tree risk. The cemetery is slated to reopen Friday morning, Oct. 31, weather permitting.