In the former textile factory Karnola, firefighters are still monitoring the site of the fire

Krnov - Firefighters are still responding at the former textile factory Karnola in Krnov in the Bruntál region, where they are still extinguishing hotspots of the fire and dismantling rubble. During the morning, they will also assist investigators with thermal cameras and other technical means to determine the cause of the fire at the national cultural monument. This morning, firefighter spokesperson Jakub Kozák told ČTK.

According to him, it might be possible to specify the damage caused by the fire during today. Firefighters initially estimated it at several million crowns, primarily considering the historical values. "The investigation will continue at the site in the coming days with the participation of specialists from the ranks of firefighters and police," explained Kozák.

Bruntál police spokesperson Pavla Jiroušková stated that the police are also involved in securing the fire site. "As soon as circumstances allow, an examination of the site will begin, which will involve specialists, criminalists, and a police dog handler with a specially trained dog for detecting accelerants," Jiroušková said. According to her, this is a standard procedure, and the police are working with various versions of the cause of the fire, from negligence to intentional arson.

The former textile factory caught fire on Wednesday before 4 PM. The third of four degrees of fire alarm had to be declared at the site. A total of 18 firefighting units fought the fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found the building heavily smoked, and the fire affected both wings of the building on two floors. They accessed the interior through windows using extension ladders, and aerial units were also called in. The fire was brought under control after more than four hours. Firefighters faced challenges due to the smoldering ceilings with reeds and the fact that the building was heavily smoked. The building had to be ventilated with positive pressure ventilators. Firefighters established a pumping station directly on the Opava River across the road. One of the responding firefighters was lightly injured, and medical personnel treated his mild burn on the spot. The road in front of the building remained closed during the entire event.

The building of the former spinning mill with a sample workshop from 1900 was declared a national cultural monument in February 2010. The building houses a historically valuable sample workshop, where seasonal fabric patterns were designed in the wool goods factory of Alois Larisch and Sons. In the so-called dezinature, the original equipment has been preserved - such as a winding machine, hand looms, or a collection of fabric swatches, the oldest dating back to the 1870s. Everything was preserved in the state of the last working day before the fire.

The Krnov factory Karnola fell into economic troubles, especially due to the financial crisis in Russia in 1998 - one of its significant export territories. The textile factory also suffered two devastating floods. At that time, Karnola's creditors filed claims amounting to about 180 million. As early as 2006, Krnov was considering transforming the premises into a museum, and a year later, it purchased the buildings from the bankruptcy estate administrator.

At the beginning of this year, Krnov succeeded with a project that aimed to turn the 15-year-neglected building into a museum and an area for public events. Work was supposed to begin in the coming years, with the opening planned for 2020. The costs of the renovation were estimated at 123 million crowns. The city received a grant of 95 million crowns from the European Union for the project, which also includes the alteration of the surroundings. The region was supposed to contribute 10 million crowns, and the city 18 million.