site.btaProsecution Office Institutes Pre-Trial Proceedings in Connection with Tobacco Warehouses Fire in Plovdiv

Prosecution Office Institutes Pre-Trial Proceedings in Connection with Tobacco Warehouses Fire in Plovdiv

Plovdiv, South Central Bulgaria, August 22 (BTA) - The Plovdiv District Prosecution Office has instituted pre-trial proceedings against an unknown perpetrator in connection with a fire at the local tobacco warehouses, Boryana Dimitrova of the press centre of the Prosecution Office said on Monday.

At 2 p.m. on Saturday, four tobacco warehouses in downtown Plovdiv caught fire that destroyed everything but their facades before it was put out shortly after midnight. The abandoned buildings are 100-year-old monuments of culture.

A forensic fire and other expert examinations have been ordered in the case. Investigative procedural steps are being taken under the guidance of the District Prosecution Office to identify the causes of the fire.

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A new major fire flared up in Mt Sakar, near a disused airfield next to Mladinovo Village, Svilengrad Municipality (Southeastern Bulgaria), the regional situation centre in Haskovo reported. The fire started on a large area of dry grassland but a strong wind and heat spread it to a deciduous forest across the runway. Seven firefighter crews were rushed to the site, and the fire was extinguished.

An earlier large fire in Mt Sakar, between the villages of Izvorovo, Dripchevo and Oryahovo, has subsided but is not put out entirely, situation centre spokesperson Nelly Vulkanova said. All 200 firemen and forest rangers who fought the fire remain on standby because the heat during the day may reignite parts of the blaze.

The fire has destroyed 47 hectares of almond plantations and vineyards, sunflower fields and pastures.

A Code Red fire alert for Haskovo Region and a partial state of disaster for Harmanli Municipality remain in force on Monday.