No casualties or injuries were reported as a result of the fire. Firefighters managed to control the situation, preventing the fire from spreading further. The cause of the fire remains unknown for now.
It is expected that the firefighting operation may last a few more hours. The fire is being extinguished.
“When the first firefighting units arrived on site, it was known that it was an extensive fire. The entire roof was already on fire. For us, the most important thing is that there are no victims or injured. 40 firefighters took part in the operation. Certainly material losses will be high,” said the spokesman for the Bydgoszcz guard, senior captain Karol Smarz, to RMF FM.
Loyd’s factory in an old building
The burned facility, which dates back to 1887, previously belonged to the Lloyd Bydgoski shipping company, and after the war to Żegluga Bydgoska.
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The building produced steam boilers, cranes and towing chains, among others. It also served as a shipyard, where in 1937 the unpowered barge “Lemara” was built, currently moored on the Brda River near the granaries in the center of Bydgoszcz.
Lloyd’s Factory Statement:
The historic building was restored and transformed into a cultural center.
Employees of the Lloyd’s Factory expressed their sadness in a statement issued on Friday. “This is an extremely painful tragedy for us. For many of us, it was a second family, a place of work, full of soul, where many meetings took place. We are very sorry. We ask for patience and wait for further information.”