Firefighters in Lesser Poland battled a blaze at the historic manor annexe of the Piekary Palace early this morning. Authorities reported that the roof had already collapsed by the time the fire brigade arrived at the scene. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
The fire was extinguished after approximately three hours.
“Eleven fire brigade units were deployed at the site,” said Junior Captain Hubert Ciepły, a spokesperson for the Lesser Poland State Fire Service, to the Polish Press Agency (PAP) on Sunday. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
The vacant building was checked with a thermal imaging camera and has been secured.
The 19th-century Piekary Palace, located in the Liszki commune, was built in the mid-19th century in an Italian Neo-Gothic style. Initially a private estate, the property served as the headquarters for German authorities during World War II. After being nationalized, it was repurposed first as a school and later as a hospital.
The palace complex, which includes the palace, court annex, farmstead (granary with outbuildings), brewery buildings, a statue of the Virgin Mary, and a park, is listed in the register of historic monuments of the Lesser Poland voivodeship.