On 8 October 2026 the court in Zlín heard the case of the fire on the roof of the Střední škola pedagogická a sociální ve Zlíně secondary school on 10 November 2025. At the hearing the accused welder stated that he was aware of the breach of regulations.[1][2]
The fire and the indictment
According to the public prosecutor, the fire caused damage of almost CZK 14.7 million and required the evacuation of hundreds of people. According to the indictment, the accused worked on the roof as the supervisor of a company together with a colleague and used a torch to melt asphalt sheets, from which the wooden roof structure later caught fire. The indictment criticises him for incorrectly determining the length of the fire watch after the work ended. Firefighters declared the third of four fire alarm levels, and dozens of professional and volunteer firefighters fought the fire for several hours.[1][2]
Testimony of the accused and a witness
The accused confirmed that he himself shortened the watch to 120 minutes because he considered it sufficient. He said that the fire most likely started during the work with the torch, but that he cannot say where the specific problem lay. He stressed that nobody was injured in the fire and expressed regret. He disagrees with the amount of the damage, which in his view should be lower. He maintains that the roof was not divided into fire compartments, that he carried out the watch visually without a thermal camera, and that he had repaired similar roofs in about eighty cases. The colleague who worked on the roof testified that a two-hour watch was an exception and that he did not decide on the length of the watch.[1][2]
An expert in fire protection stated that the fire was connected with construction work on the roof and that it affected roughly a third of the roof. According to him, fire compartments serve to prevent the spread of fire.[1][2]
Further proceedings
The main hearing is due to continue on 12 November 2026 with further taking of evidence. The defence requests an expert opinion from the field of construction, which is to determine the condition of the building before the fire.[1][2]
Related articles: Zlín, Zlín Region
Chronology
- — At a hearing in a Zlín court on the roof fire at a school on 10 November 2025, the accused welder admitted that he had acted in breach of regulations. Deník: Zlínský kraj iDNES.cz
Sources
- Deník: Zlínský kraj — 8 October 2026
- iDNES.cz — 8 October 2026