Smoke rising from the remains of the burned warehouse in Shkozet is still keeping local residents under pressure, even though the major fire had been declared extinguished. After several days of complaints and public appeals, an excavator entered the site this Monday to remove debris, in an intervention that residents say comes late as the air has become unbearable.
Hotspots beneath the debris have not disappeared
The massive fire that engulfed a warehouse containing plastic materials, tires and pyrotechnic substances in Shkozet last Thursday was brought under control after long hours of work, but the problem did not end there.
In recent days, according to developments on the ground, hidden hotspots beneath the burned debris have reactivated from time to time, once again releasing smoke and increasing residents’ fears over air pollution and the risk of the flames returning.
Residents: the air is unbearable, we have moved the children away
A few days earlier, residents asked the Municipality of Durres to intervene with heavy machinery to clean the area and eliminate the remaining active hotspots.
One of them said the situation has become unbearable because of the smog and soot, while families have been forced to move their children away from their homes. According to him, the fire is put out temporarily, but then the smoke and gases return again, especially when the wind blows.
Excavator intervention begins after public appeals
Work with an excavator began this Monday to remove the debris left by the fire. The aim of the intervention is to prevent the hotspots from reactivating and the further spread of toxic smoke in the area.
The fact that the cleanup is being carried out only after several days of public concern raises questions about the pace of the institutional response, in a case where residents had warned that smoke continued to emerge even after the main flames had been extinguished.
What happened with the man arrested over the fire
On the investigative track, police arrested 38-year-old Admir N., the owner of the warehouse, one day after the incident. According to the official version of the initial investigation, he is suspected of having caused the fire through negligence after burning some cardboard and grass outside the facility.
It is also reported that the fire damaged the 110 kv power line. However, the Durres Prosecutor’s Office did not send the arrested man to court for validation of the arrest and the setting of a security measure, which led to his release.
On the ground, for residents the issue remains less legal and more vital: the smoke has not disappeared completely and the effects in the air continue to be felt.
The remaining question is how effective the intervention that has now begun will be, and why it took days of public pressure for institutions to act.