Family house fire kills father and two children in Sveti Križ Začretje, Croatia

On the morning of 1 August 2026 a fire broke out in a family house in the village of Sveti Križ Začretje, Zagorje region, Croatia. Firefighters from the Zagorje public fire brigade and the local volunteer unit extinguished the blaze and found three bodies: a 46‑year‑old father and his two minor children. The mother was at work at the time and arrived later to the scene. Police and the State Prosecutor’s Office have opened an investigation; early reports indicate the fire was deliberately set in several rooms and that the father may have killed his children before setting the fire and possibly taking his own life. Neighbours reported hearing three gunshots and an explosion before the fire. A disturbing Facebook post allegedly written by the father has been cited, though its authenticity is unverified. The municipality of Sveti Križ Začretje will declare a day of mourning, and Minister of Labour and Social Policy Alen Ružić has pledged material and psychosocial assistance to the surviving family members.