Five people have died after fire tore through a two-storey family home being used as an unlicensed hostel in the Polish town of Pszów, with prosecutors now investigating both the cause of the blaze and the legality of the property’s operation.
Five people have died after a fire engulfed a two-storey house in Pszów, a town in Poland’s Silesian Voivodeship, in the early hours of Monday morning. The blaze broke out on Sunday night while occupants were inside the building, prompting a large-scale emergency response involving nearly 100 firefighters. Twelve people were evacuated from the property, among them two Ukrainian nationals and ten Polish citizens, though no children were among those rescued. Polish authorities have since confirmed the house had been operating as an unlicensed hostel, and prosecutors have opened an investigation into both the cause of the fire and the legal status of the property.
A fast-moving fire and a major rescue effort
Speaking at a press conference held at dawn on Monday, Wojciech Kruczek, commander-in-chief of the Polish fire service, said the blaze had spread “very dynamically” through the two-storey building. Emergency crews mounted a major rescue operation, with firefighters using ladders and breathing apparatus to search smoke-filled rooms for anyone still trapped inside. In total, 95 firefighters were sent to the scene and had extinguished the fire by that night. Several of those rescued were treated for smoke inhalation, while evacuated residents were subsequently given temporary accommodation and support by local authorities. Fires in residential buildings are considered especially dangerous at night, since occupants are often asleep when a blaze takes hold, leaving less time to escape before smoke spreads through the property.
An unlicensed hostel
According to Silesian Voivode Marek Wójcik, who addressed the same press conference, the property had not been operating as an officially registered hostel, despite earlier press reports suggesting it was. Officials are now examining whether the building was being run commercially without the necessary licences or permits. In Poland, properties operating as hostels are generally required to meet specific fire safety and accommodation standards, which can include regular inspections and formal registration. The incident has renewed concerns over unregistered accommodation of this kind, which may not always be held to the same safety requirements as licensed guesthouses and hostels.
Investigators examine cause and legality
Polish prosecutors have opened a formal investigation covering both the cause of the fire and the nature of the owner’s economic activity at the property, with forensic experts expected to examine the scene. Investigators are working to determine whether the blaze started accidentally, resulted from an electrical fault, or had another ignition source, though the exact cause has not yet been established. Separately, fire investigators are assessing whether the building complied with relevant fire safety regulations, including requirements around smoke alarms, emergency exits and occupancy limits.
What happens next
In the wake of the fire, local authorities are expected to review both emergency response procedures and the wider regulation of unlicensed accommodation, in order to establish whether further safety measures are needed to prevent similar incidents in future. The investigation into the fire itself, along with the legal status of the property, remains ongoing.
