A fire broke out Sunday morning at a waste processing plant in the Gariūnai district of Vilnius, authorities said.
According to the Environmental Protection Department (AAD), the fire started at the Energesman waste-sorting facility, where trash ignited inside a two-story building and the flames quickly spread.
Vilnius police told BNS that they received a report about the fire at Jočionių Street 13 shortly before 08:00. The report was made by a security guard, who said no other people were inside the building at the time.
Ten fire engines, a water tanker, a command post and a ladder truck were dispatched to the scene. Firefighters were still working to contain the blaze as of 10:00, Konradas Liekis, a senior specialist at the Fire and Rescue Department's Situation Coordination Division, told BNS.
Environmental officials have called in a laboratory from the Environmental Protection Agency to collect air samples and assess pollution levels. Air quality modelling is underway, and officials said they plan to release more information soon.
Meanwhile, the National Public Health Centre warned that smoke from the fire could pose a health risk. People driving past the site were advised to keep their car windows tightly closed, and residents living nearby were urged to stay indoors and keep windows, doors and vents shut.
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