Demolition of fire‑damaged Building 34 in Zlín’s Baťovka area to begin

A fire that broke out on 9 July in the eleven‑storey Building 34 of the former Baťovka industrial complex in Zlín burned for nearly two weeks before being fully extinguished on 22 July. No injuries were reported, but the blaze caused the structure to collapse in two places, leaving roughly half of the tower standing.

The municipal building authority ordered the immediate removal of the unsafe sections and set a deadline of 15 December for complete demolition. Owner Cream, which also occupied offices in the building, will hand the site over to demolition contractor Build Synergy on 5 August. The firm plans to dismantle the main torso within 25 working days using a Caterpillar 390 F UHD excavator (about 100 tonnes) equipped with hydraulic shears. The demolition schedule includes transport, assembly of the heavy equipment and preparatory work, after which work will proceed unless structural engineers raise objections.

Police are investigating the fire as a possible case of general endangerment through negligence, with a potential five‑year prison term for any responsible party. The cause is still being examined by criminal investigators in cooperation with fire officials.