Fire breaks out at ecopark in Kyiv

A fire broke out at the Osokorky Ecopark in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district on the evening of March 5, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The Osokorky Ecopark is a public organization run by environmental activists, experts, and Kyiv residents looking to preserve the area's wetlands.

Emergency services received reports of fire near Lake Tiahle at around 4:46 p.m. on March 5. Dry grasses and reeds near the lake caused the fire to spread to an area of three hectares. Flooding in the area and lack of access routes hindered firefighting operations.

Firefighters were able to localize the fire at 11:15 p.m. Shortly before midnight, the fire was extinquished.

No casualties have been reported, and emergency workers will be on site to monitor the area tomorrow.

In a social media post, the Osokorky Ecopark said it had received a threat of arson a few days before the fire. The park aims to prevent construction near the lakes, and the post implied that developers may have been behind the blaze.

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