The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in a warehouse belonging to a local company. The explosion was followed by a large fire that engulfed the industrial building and surrounding areas.
The incident occurred during the transfer of oxygen from a large to a smaller cylinder, during which a plastic hose at the transfer station burst.
A spark ignited the gas and nearby flammable materials. The fire spread rapidly to the company’s workshop and storage areas, with flames also reaching the adjacent courtyards. In one of the neighbouring courtyards, a wooden tool shed was destroyed, while in several others, vegetation, metal tool sheds, sun loungers, and umbrellas were completely burned or damaged.
A 24-year-old employee of the company was injured in the incident. The worker suffered burns to his hands and legs, although the severity of his injuries has not yet been officially classified. A team from the Institute of Emergency Medicine in Varadin provided assistance at the scene before transferring him for further treatment.
Personnel from the Varadin Public Fire Department responded to the incident, assisted by firefighters from several volunteer brigades. The firefighters successfully brought the fire under control and extinguished it, preventing the fire from spreading to other buildings.
Police responded to the scene and are continuing with an investigation to determine the precise circumstances of the explosion and the causes of the fire. Official reports on the material damage and details of the investigation will be published later.
