Following the destruction of Warsaw's largest shopping center by fire, the owner commits to reconstruction efforts.
The proprietor of Warsaw's largest shopping center, which succumbed to a fire on Sunday, has declared intentions to reconstruct the establishment in consultation with the resident business operators.
Additionally, local authorities have vowed to assist affected merchants, while law enforcement is probing the fire's cause amidst speculation of potential deliberate actions.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, a fire erupted and rapidly engulfed the entirety of the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control, but not before extensive damage was inflicted on the premises. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as the incident occurred during non-operational hours.
Marywilska 44 housed nearly 1,400 commercial units, predominantly operated by small, family-owned enterprises. Renowned for its diverse array of traders, the center accommodated businesses run by individuals from various backgrounds, including Vietnamese, Turks, Africans, and Poles.
Numerous affected business proprietors have voiced their distress over the loss of their establishments. Additionally, they expressed frustration at the apparent absence of preventative measures to impede the fire's swift progression.
Online conspiracy theories swiftly circulated, insinuating that the fire might have been intentionally ignited to clear the existing structure and pave the way for redevelopment, potentially as residential properties.
These speculations gained traction, fueled in part by the prior protests of many Marywilska 44 business owners against proposed substantial rent hikes earlier in the year.
Commander Mariusz Feltynowski of Poland's fire service addressed the media on Sunday, remarking on the unusually rapid spread of the fire. He characterized the situation as "very strange," suggesting the possibility of internal anti-fire systems being compromised or deliberately disabled.
However, Tomasz Bratek, Warsaw’s deputy mayor, reassured the Polish Press Agency (PAP) on Sunday that the city, as the owner of the land in question, has "never entertained any plans to sell it."
In a separate statement to the stock exchange on Sunday evening, Mirbud, the site's owner, announced that its board had "resolved to reconstruct the shopping halls of Marywilska 44."
"The situation is dire, particularly for the tenants operating businesses within the premises," stated Małgorzata Konarska, the CEO of Mirbud, in an interview with financial news service Money.pl.
"Their livelihoods have been shattered. The majority of them are proprietors," she continued. "We will engage with them to devise a new, alternative concept. Without their businesses, they will not generate income, so we aim to support them."
Mirbud's statement to the stock exchange also acknowledged that the "circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation by the appropriate authorities."
On Sunday, Warsaw's police headquarters released a statement confirming that an investigation was in progress to "establish the precise cause and context of the fire."
Simultaneously, a spokesperson for city hall mentioned plans to engage in discussions with the affected merchants to assist them in their recovery efforts. Additionally, the governor of the Mazovia province, where Warsaw is situated, expressed intentions to explore avenues for releasing funds to aid those impacted.