144 fires in the country: a day of battling fire and the elements

Worrying statistics from the past 24 hours paint a picture of an intense battle against wildfires and the aftermath of a sudden storm in the country. The General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection (GDFSCP) reports a total of 144 extinguished fires in the last 24 hours, highlighting the enormous strain on emergency service teams.

Devastation and Rescued Lives in Plovdiv

One of the most serious incidents occurred in Plovdiv, where flames engulfed a warehouse. Firefighters arrived at the scene and found that a storage facility full of shoes, bags, and jackets was on fire. The thick smoke billowing from the burning building could be seen from afar. Eyewitnesses watched with concern as the fire consumed valuable property.

Despite the rapid response, the material damage was significant. The fire destroyed buildings, blackened walls, and caused serious damage to an electric vehicle charging station, photovoltaic panels, pallets of products, as well as white goods, electronics, and computer equipment, and furniture. However, amidst this destruction, the heroic efforts of the firefighters saved four buildings, preventing the disaster from spreading.

Dozens of Fires in Homes and Forest Areas

Of the total number of fires, 29 caused direct material damage. It's a worrying fact that ten of them broke out in residential buildings, putting human lives and homes at risk. Among the other incidents, there were two fires in industrial buildings, three in auxiliary structures, and seven in vehicles. The remaining fires were in forest areas, agricultural land, and other open facilities, which highlights the constant danger from dry vegetation in the summer months.

At the same time, 115 fires were extinguished without material damage, with a large number of them occurring in dry grass, forest litter, and bushes. There were also 29 cases of burning waste and one fire in stubble fields.

The Storm That Shook Northern Bulgaria

The afternoon hours of yesterday were marked by a powerful storm that primarily affected the territory of Northern Bulgaria. This natural phenomenon further mobilized GDFSCP teams, who responded to 146 calls for fallen trees and dangerous objects.

These incidents, though not involving direct fire, show the multifaceted role of firefighters in dealing with crisis situations.

The Multifaceted Work of Firefighters

A total of 341 calls for incidents were received and processed by firefighters during the 24-hour period. In addition to extinguishing fires, they carried out 185 rescue and assistance operations. The teams responded to accidents, domestic and industrial incidents, and provided technical assistance to other structures of the Ministry of Interior and to citizens.

Unfortunately, in this busy day, there were also abuses of the emergency number—12 false calls were registered, which divert valuable resources and time from real emergencies.