Firefighters continue battling fire in Kraków city archives

Firefighters have been battling a blaze that broke out in the archives of the city of Kraków, southern Poland for the last 36 hours.

The fire started on Saturday evening and, according to a spokesman for the local fire brigade, it is difficult to predict when it will be extinguished.

The city’s archives contain about 20,000 linear metres of documents.

“Despite the use of smoke extraction fans and foam, firefighters have failed, up to now, to put out the fire,” Sebastian Woźniak of the fire department told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) on Monday morning.

He added that, at the moment, there were 60 firefighters on the scene, and they had managed to limit the extent of the blaze but not put it out.

Sub-zero temperatures are adding to the difficulties facing the firefighters, who are having to wear breathing apparatus and work in shifts.