One year after Trubarevo toxic fire, facilities operate while charges are pending

One year after the toxic blaze at the hazardous-waste site in Trubarevo, the storage facilities where the fire started are reported to be operating again while there is still no public prosecutor's decision in the case. Neighbours and activists say they remain frustrated by the lack of visible accountability.

Days after the fire the Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation against four natural persons and one legal entity on suspicion of endangering the environment with waste. Three of the suspects were placed under house arrest and one in pre-trial detention; police carried out inspections and collected documentation at the time.

Environmental impact and health concerns

The fire burned batteries, accumulators and toner cartridges, producing a thick black smoke that hung over roughly half of Skopje. Authorities warned that air quality was extremely poor and that soil and groundwater were at serious risk of contamination.

Initial analyses showed residents were exposed to heavy metals after the Trubarevo blaze. "The concentration of cadmium in the air was nearly 12 times higher than the maximum limits," the monitoring results found.

Many people from the neighbourhood sought treatment at pulmonology clinics, and some farmers say they have abandoned fields because of fears about polluted soil. Residents are especially angry that the facilities storing the hazardous waste reportedly resumed operations just weeks after the fire.

When contacted briefly by TV 24, the Public Prosecutor's Office said: "The investigation is in its final phase and a public prosecutor decision is expected soon." The office added that the probe is being carried out thoroughly.

Until a formal indictment or court decision is announced, the accused remain largely free and the community continues to demand clarity about responsibility, remediation measures and long-term monitoring of air, soil and water.

Photo: press material from the event