Several families in Līvāni were left without household items — the fire engulfed 10 storage units in the garage cooperative.
Some of them contained cars that could not withstand the high temperature and are no longer usable, reports the show Degpunktā (TV3).
By the time the Degpunktā film crew arrived, emergency services had already been working for six hours in the garage cooperative on Zemgales Street.
Law enforcement officers cordoned off the area of the burned garages to prevent outsiders from entering, as there were many people interested in what had happened. Firefighters continued to dismantle structures to ensure that no hotspots remained.
Vladimir Andreyev, commander of the Latvian GPSS unit of the Latgale regional administration, reported that 10 garages burned down with a total area of 180 square meters. The fire spread very quickly as there were many flammable materials inside. The State Police will determine the cause of the fire.
At this point, law enforcement officers have concluded that it is likely not a case of arson. Various versions about the extent of the damage and the contents of the garages are already circulating among the residents. One local resident, citing a neighbor, reported that eight cars burned in the fire.
One of the garage owners arrived to inspect the destroyed property and briefly spoke about the losses. Reports of burned cars are not unfounded — the remains of passenger cars are visible on both sides of the garages, although there are fewer than initially expected.
The owner noted that valuable household items were burned — a rubber boat, a motor for the boat, a saw, a trimmer. "If you add it all up, it comes out very 'expensive'," he said, adding that one of the owners was even less fortunate — his new car burned down.
The fire was able to spread so quickly because there are only a few private houses near the garages, and the fire started at a time when most people were still asleep. Residents likely noticed the disaster only when the glow colored the horizon.
One man learned about the incident only after rescuers forced open the door — his garage had an alarm system, and he received a notification.
The State Police have initiated a criminal process regarding the incident, and the causes of the destructive fire are yet to be determined.
