A massive fire broke out at the Le Ciminiere exhibition center, symbol of Catania. The fire, initially minor, broke out around 5pm in the external area of the auditorium. At first it seemed to have been tamed, but in the evening the situation worsened.
High flames rose from the building in Viale Africa, which the firefighters are still trying to put out even now – around 11pm. Several fire brigades arrived on site with various vehicles, including three tankers and a ladder truck, and police officers. Fortunately, no victims or injuries were reported, but the extent of the damage is extensive.
Possible causes of the fire
The flames affected an area of the complex where extraordinary maintenance work was underway and where workers were present, who managed to escape in time. From what we understand, part of the roof of the auditorium collapsed due to the fire. It is yet to be ascertained whether human error in handling flammable materials may have been behind the fire.
A hard blow for Catania
That burning fire is a wound for the people of Catania. The Chimneys are not just any building. The exhibition center, created from the recovery of abandoned post-war buildings that constituted the large sulfur refining industrial complex, represents a point of reference for the city. For several years, concerts, theatrical events and conferences have taken place in Le Ciminiere and have become the home of Etna Comics, the famous international comics festival. The multifunctional complex hosts a permanent museum on the 1943 landing in Sicily, an exhibition of vintage cinema and radios and a permanent exhibition of ancient geographical maps of the island.
