Fire at Debica tyre factory

The car tyre production hall at Goodyear’s Debica factory in Poland caught fire late on 20 August. According to multiple local news sources, more than 20 fire engines attended the scene before midnight and no injuries were reported. Official statements issued by the tyremaker suggest the company’s truck tyre production area remained unaffected and that some passenger car tyre production resumed on 22 August.

The fire was measured at 50 by 65 metres, the duty officer of the State Fire Service is quoted as saying. This equates to around a third of the production hall. But while around a third of the production hall was hit by the flames, one reason the situation didn’t get worse is because the State Fire Service in Dębica, are based less than 100 metres from the scene of the fire. Indeed, the local branch of the State Fire Service is said to have evolved out of the former company fire brigade and specializes in chemical fire protection and rescue, according to local news sources.

At the time, Debica city officials told residents to stay inside: “Dear residents, due to the fire at the tyre company Dębica, please do not move near the plant so as not to hinder the firefighting operation.”