Structural engineers say Vjesnik's skyscraper in Zagreb is unsafe after fire, no one can go inside for now

Structural engineer Mario Uroš stated today that it is still dangerous to enter the Vjesnik business skyscraper in the wider center of Zagreb, which was almost completely burned down in a fire, and that no one can enter until an inspection next week.

This was concluded after today's inspection of the building.

"The conclusion is that the building is still uninhabitable, the fire brigade has done 99 percent of the work, and the rest is just occasional smoke removal," Uroš told reporters.

He added that the temperature in the building is still high, and that the columns and load-bearing elements are warm, and while that is the case, safety cannot be guaranteed or any services allowed inside. The situation will be monitored in the coming days so that urgent repairs and clean-up can be carried out, as well as an on-site investigation can be conducted.

A special traffic regulation is in effect, which will be valid until a new safety assessment by the authorities, and there are noticeable congestion in the city since the building is located at the intersection of major roads, Slavonska Avenue, partially closed to traffic, and Savska Road.

A fire broke out in one of the largest and most famous office buildings in Zagreb on Monday around 23 pm. No one was in the building at the time of the fire.

The cause of the fire in the Vjesnik office building, which is majority-owned by the state, has not yet been determined, and information appeared in the media today that five young people are being interviewed by the police due to suspicions that they could be connected to the fire.

Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property Branko Bačić said today that whether the building will be renovated or removed will depend on the professional assessment.

The skyscraper, which was once a symbol of journalism and Zagreb, is 67 meters tall and has 16 floors, and was built over nine years, from 1963 to 1972.

For the last twenty years or so, this office building, once the headquarters of the daily newspaper Vjesnik after which it is named, has been mostly empty, with only occasional office use.