Inquiry launched into New Year's Eve balcony and apartment fire

A fire broke out on New Year's Eve in a block of flats at Jugosłowiańska Street in Warsaw. Witnesses spotted the flames at a balcony of a 4th floor apartment. Fire service was called to the scene and extinguished the fire, which they claim may have been caused by fireworks. The owner of the flat told TVN24 that witnesses claim to have seen two men launching a flare in front of the building. It is believed that the flare landed at the balcony and sparked the flames.

The police are looking into the matter. "We're collecting CCTV footage and questioning witnesses. The owners were out when the fire happened. They filed a report a bit later," said Joanna Węgrzyniak from District Police Headquarters Warsaw VII.

At this stage the police do not have any definitive conclusions. "Indeed, we were notified that there was a fire caused by fireworks. However, the firefighters did not confirm that pyrotechnics was involved. We are waiting for an opinion from an expert witness," Węgrzyniak said.

Marek Dworakowski, the owner of the apartment, has asked for help in social media to explain what caused the fire and to find the two men who are thought to have been launching flares. "Should anyone have any information, please notify us or the police, who are running an inquiry into this case," he told TVN24 on Saturday.

He also said that the fire completely consumed the balcony and everything that was at it. The flames also damaged the window and transferred into the flat. "The walls and the ceiling have been blackened. We had to remove all our clothes and electronics which still could be saved. Some of them - computers and TVs - don't work anymore," the man said.