Fires in residential buildings are not a new occurrence in the construction sector. Another facade of an apartment building by the same company caught fire in 2024, but at that time, the blaze was quickly contained without causing significant damage.
Geodetic engineer Romeo Nazarko says such accidents happen because construction quality in Albania is below standard, due to the fact that in our country, anyone can build, but few are the entities that submit to the rule of inspections.
"Two years ago, the facade of another building burned, which is also a construction by the same company. And these incidents arise from controlled construction works," says Romeo Nazarko, representative of the Association of Geodesists of Albania.
The building affected by the flames did not only have deficiencies in the quality of the facade; another shortcoming was the non-functioning of the fire protection system.
"It seems that system did not work as it should. Firefighters cannot reach every corner of these buildings, which is why they installed these hydrants in accessible positions for firefighting. It happens from experience that these projects are done fictitiously," states Rajmond Dervishi, a fire protection system expert.
Construction projects are always accurate on paper, but not in implementation—this is an observation from the experience of construction specialists.
"For inspections to be conducted properly, an independent entity must be established to hold these inspectors accountable. That is the Engineer's Order," said Romeo Nazarko, representative of the geodetic association.
Before the company rebuilds the burned building, experts suggest stripping the entire complex of the non-quality facade material.
"The material shows that facade does not resist fire," said Nazarko.
"As long as the facade is the same throughout the complex, that facade with that material should no longer exist, because at any moment, in any fire, we could have these consequences again," adds Bushati.
71 families lost their homes as a result of the negligence of inspections that should prevent the construction of unsafe buildings./ Top Channel