{{use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Short description|2025 explosion at a restaurant}} {{Infobox event | image = Most, Františka Halase 1443, restaurace U Kojota.jpg | caption = The U Kojota restaurant in 2014 | native_name = Výbuch restaurace v Mostě | time = 11:17{{nbsp}}p.m. | timezone = CET | duration = 3 hours | date = 11 January 2025 | venue = U Kojota restaurant | location = 1443 Františka Halase Street, Most, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic | coordinates = {{Coord|50|30|2.02|N|13|38|11|E|display=inline, title}} | type = Propane tank gas explosion | cause = Overturning of a gas heating lamp | deaths = 7 (including a victim who died on 15 January) | injuries = 7 }} On 11 January 2025, at around 11:17{{nbsp}}p.m., an explosion occurred at the ''U Kojota'' restaurant in Most, Czech Republic, killing seven people and injuring seven others, including three critically.
==Background== The ''U Kojota'' (''At Coyote's'' in English) is a restaurant and pub located at 1443 Františka Halase Street.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U Kojota |url=https://www.ukojota.cz/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |publisher=U Kojota |language=cs}}</ref> Zdeněk Šlampa, head of the food hygiene department of the Regional Hygiene Station of the Ústí nad Labem Region, said that although the restaurant had a permit to be built, the restaurant extension where the explosion occurred was unauthorized, intentionally illegally built, and did not have a permit to be constructed. The extension was hid under a tarpaulin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kopecká |first=Martina |date=12 February 2025 |title=Hygienici: Restaurace U Kojota, v níž uhořelo sedm lidí, je černou stavbou |trans-title=Hygienists: The U Kojota restaurant, where seven people died in a fire, is an illegal construction |url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-hygienici-restaurace-u-kojota-v-niz-uhorelo-sedm-lidi-je-cernou-stavbou-269858 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}}</ref>
==Explosion== According to witnesses and the fire department, there was improper handling of the gas heater, which caused an explosion and fire to spread rapidly at the restaurant's front garden. At the time of the explosion, the conditions were freezing and 20 people were inside of the restaurant, and were trapped inside after the explosion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2025 |title=Czech restaurant explosion leaves several dead |url=https://www.dw.com/en/czech-restaurant-explosion-leaves-several-dead/a-71276478 |access-date=13 February 2025 |website=DW News}}</ref> The flames reached a height of up to three meters and also affected a neighboring house. During the fire, several other propane butane cylinders exploded. 90 firefighters and 28 fire trucks from 19 units arrived on the scene within six minutes and evacuated approximately 20 people from the restaurant and 10 residents of a neighboring house. The fire was brought under control by 1{{nbsp}}a.m.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2025 |title=6 dead, 8 injured in Czech restaurant fire |url=https://efe.com/en/latest-news/2025-01-12/6-dead-8-injured-in-czech-restaurant-fire-adds-video/ |access-date=9 February 2025 |website=EFE}}</ref>
==Victims== thumb|The Královské Vinohrady hospital Six people were killed and eight others were injured in the explosion. The victims were identified as four men and three women.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 January 2025 |title=Police identify victims of deadly restaurant fire in Most |url=https://english.radio.cz/police-identify-victims-deadly-restaurant-fire-most-8839878 |access-date=15 February 2025 |website=Radio Prague}}</ref> Rescue workers transported six seriously injured patients to specialized hospitals, with three of them in critical condition and the others seriously injured the following evening.<ref name="Blesk">{{Cite web |date=15 January 2025 |title=Požár v Mostě má další oběť: V nemocnici zemřela popálená žena, U Kojota slavila narozeniny |trans-title=Fire in Most claims another victim: Burned woman dies in hospital, celebrates birthday at U Kojota |url=https://www.blesk.cz/clanek/zpravy-krimi/803977/pozar-v-moste-ma-dalsi-obet-v-nemocnici-zemrela-popalena-zena-u-kojota-slavila-narozeniny.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=Blesk |language=cs|publisher=Czech News Center}}</ref> One of the critically injured people, a 59-year-old woman who was celebrating her birthday at ''U Kojota'', died on 15 January at Královské Vinohrady hospital in Prague, after sustaining 92% burns to her body.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 January 2025 |title=Seventh victim of Most restaurant fire dies in hospital |url=https://english.radio.cz/seventh-victim-most-restaurant-fire-dies-hospital-8839956 |access-date=13 February 2025 |website=Czech Radio}}</ref>
==Aftermath== The restaurant was destroyed and the wooden extension part of the restaurant where the explosion occurred was torn down and cut up by officers with special saws due to structural damage and danger.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2025 |title=V restauraci v Mostě zřejmě vybuchl plynový ohřívač vzduchu. Zemřelo šest lidí, zraněných je osm |trans-title=A gas heater apparently exploded in a restaurant in Most. Six people died, eight were injured. |url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/hasici-zasahuji-u-vybuchu-restaurace-v-moste-zemrelo-sest-lidi-dalsich-osm_2501120136_ava |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=Czech Radio |language=cs}}</ref>
Firefighters started checking the safety of structures and closed front gardens across the Czech Republic in February due to the explosion.<ref name="Blesk" />
==Responses== Czech police launched investigations of the explosion into a potential case of general danger caused by negligence. Firefighters are inspecting the stability of the building to ensure a safe investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 January 2025 |title=Deadly Explosion at Czech Restaurant Claims Lives |url=https://themunicheye.com/czech-restaurant-explosion-six-dead-eight-injured-7601 |access-date=15 February 2025 |website=The Munich Eye}}</ref>
Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan posted his condolences to the people affected by the explosion on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Vít Rakušan |author-link=Vít Rakušan|user=Vit_Rakusan |number=1878342105069760690 |date=12 January 2025 |title=Jsem spolu s panem primátorem Mostu, panem hejtmanem Ústeckého kraje a představiteli zasahujících složek v Mostě, kde dál probíhá vyšetřování včerejší tragédie. Chci vyjádřit upřímnou soustrast všem, koho se tragédie dotkla, a popřát pokud možno brzké uzdravení všem zraněným. Hasiči v tuto chvíli staticky prověřují objekt, aby mohlo probíhat vyšetřování, které vedou specialisté a další experti. Probíhá také komunikace s lidmi, které událost zasáhla, a kontaktování svědků. Kdokoliv má informace, jež by mohly vést k bližšímu objasnění události, ať volá linku 158. Pro ty, kdo potřebují krizovou intervenci, byla zřízena speciální krizová linka 771 509 567. |trans-title=I am with the Mayor of Most, the Governor of the Ústí nad Labem Region, and representatives of the responding forces in Most, where the investigation into yesterday's tragedy is still ongoing. I would like to express my sincere condolences to all those affected by the tragedy and wish a speedy recovery to all those injured. Firefighters are currently statically inspecting the building to allow for an investigation led by specialists and other experts. Communication with people affected by the incident and contacting witnesses is also ongoing. Anyone with information that could lead to a closer explanation of the incident should call 158. A special crisis line has been set up for those in need of crisis intervention: 771 509 567. |access-date=16 February 2025 |language=cs}}</ref>
==See also== *2013 Prague explosion; another gas explosion in the Czech Republic
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Explosions in 2025 Category:2025 disasters in Europe Category:Building and structure fires in the Czech Republic Category:Fires in Europe Category:Explosions in Europe Category:Explosions in the Czech Republic Category:2025 in the Czech Republic Category:January 2025 in the Czech Republic Category:Gas explosions