Skopje, 9 April 2024 (MIA) – The Universal Hall caught fire in the old section burning old materials, wood shavings, tiles and the new section wasn’t affected at all, stated Lazar Arsovski, owner of Universal Balkan – Skopje, the company renovating the building. He assumes that the fire might have been caused by an old cable or an old installation. No one was in the building when the fire started.

It is luck, he said, that the whole infrastructure from the inside, such as chairs, stage props and technology, had been removed outside.

“We can assume that it might have been caused by an old cable, an old installation, it was ignited when no one was there. The workers had tried to put it out with fire extinguisher, however there had been very old wood shavings that burn fast because they are dry. The fire put out itself practically in half an hour because they are basically empty,” Arsovski told reporters. 

Asked whether the fire could have been started by a “human factor”, he said he cannot say for sure because “the engineers didn’t see anything.”

“I might have been. We’ve been here to guard the building for three years. There have been minor issues, such as a spark from a cable, but nothing like this.”

Arsovski said he hoped the contractor company will not come across any problems with the new construction in the future. “I expect the investors, be it political parties and mayors, to have an understanding. The Universal Hall should be completed as soon as possible.” 

Photo: MIA