No one was injured in a fire that broke out at the waste disposal company EKO-FLOR PLUS in the town of Zapresic west of Zagreb before 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The fire was contained, the company said, while police in Zagreb said 12 employees were at the facility when the fire broke out.

According to initial information, the flames were discovered in the plastic waste that EKO FLOR PLUS collects as a public service provider from households and municipal institutions.

Due to the characteristics of the burning packaging waste, the fire quickly spread to the plant and equipment, the company said, adding that the exact circumstances and causes will be determined in an investigation after the firefighting operations are completed.

According to police, the fire broke out for reasons yet to be determined and spread to the entire facility. At the time of the outbreak, 12 employees were present and were uninjured.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic visited the scene of the fire on Wednesday evening and said that more than 200 firefighters and 50 fire engines were involved in fighting the flames.

Most of the fire had been extinguished, Deputy Mayor Alan Labus said on Thursday morning, adding that air quality levels were “exceptionally good” despite the intense odour of soot and plastic. However, as a precautionary measure, residents are still advised to keep their windows closed.

In cooperation with the Dr Andrija Stampar Public Health Institute, air quality measurements were taken at three locations in Zapresic: near primary schools, in the urban area and at the site of the fire itself.

It would be good if allergy sufferers and more sensitive people would continue to heed the warnings to close the windows for 24 hours, wear a mask if they have to go outside and wash fruit and vegetables if they have a garden

Labus said the fire had been minimised. He added that the location of the fire should be avoided, but there is no recommendation to close public facilities.

“We now have ten or 20 per cent pollutant emissions compared to Wednesday night. The first preliminary measurements of air quality in Zapresic in the morning hours have shown that the air quality is good. All schools and facilities can operate normally,” he said.

He also pointed out the preventive measures that citizens should follow during the day: “Close the windows if it is not necessary to keep them open.”

The EKO FLOR plant and warehouse are located in the immediate vicinity of the Novi Dvori railway station and there is a considerable amount of plastic in and around the station. “At the moment we do not know the cause of the fire. A large part of the plant has burnt down, as well as some of the surrounding plastic,” said Labus.

Fire chief Zeljko Barun said that the fire will continue for some time: “After we have extinguished the fire, the police and other services will investigate the cause of the fire,” he said.

“I can not say that the operation is over, plastic material and the wind are making it difficult,” Barun added.

Damir Bencevic, head of the Civil Protection Centre of the city of Zapresic, commented on the quality of air and water: “The quality of water for citizens is of the first category, there are no restrictions or problems. As for the air at an altitude of 50 metres, there are no foreign particles and the smoke you see is water vapour. It would be good if allergy sufferers and more sensitive people would continue to heed the warnings to close the windows for 24 hours, wear a mask if they have to go outside and wash fruit and vegetables if they have a garden,” he emphasised.