Vjesnik building to be demolished after devastating fire, authorities say

ZAGREB, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Vjesnik building, which was completely destroyed in the devastating fire last week, will have to be demolished, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets Branko Bacic said in a statement on Monday.

Bacic made the remarks after a meeting with representatives of the City of Zagreb, experts from the Croatian Center for Earthquake Engineering, and other emergency services to assess the building's structural condition following the fire.

He said the conclusion of the meeting was clear: due to the risk of collapse, the Vjesnik building must be demolished.

Meanwhile, Mario Uros, a representative of the Croatian Center for Earthquake Engineering, said the building needs to be demolished "as quickly as possible." He noted that all inspections and tests indicate serious structural damage.

According to local media, two 18-year-old suspects have been arrested for setting the fire and face prison terms of 1-10 years for arson.

The fire broke out at around 23:04 (2204 GMT) on Nov. 17 and was brought under control the next day after burning throughout the night. The Vjesnik building was one of the tallest in the country. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the fire. Enditem