Fire in Czech town destroys building where bereaved relatives of Stanislav Tomáš, the Romani man who died in police custody in June, were living

Nine firefighting units had to respond last week to combat a blaze at an apartment building in Bílina, Czech Republic; the sister of the late Stanislav Tomáš, who died on Saturday, 19 June after police intervened against him, is among the residents affected. Firefighters evacuated 23 individuals from the building, eight of whom were transferred into the care of the Emergency Medical Services due to minor injuries or smoke inhalation.
Miroslav Brož of the Konexe organization informed news server Romea.cz that "In the building where Ms Simona Tomášová and other impoverished Romani people live there has been an extensive fire. It began on the ground floor and worked its way up."
"The building was seriously damaged by the blaze and the tenants have to move out with nowhere to go," said Brož, who has been intensively assisting Ms. Tomášová since her brother's death. "We had been helping Ms Simona Tomášová look for a new apartment for herself and her aged and ailing mother, whom she takes care of, even before the fire."
"We have managed to raise money from several kind donors abroad to cover the costs of the move," Brož said. An investigation into what caused the fire is reportedly underway.
Don't miss:
- LIVE BROADCAST TODAY: Discussion of the case of the death of Stanislav Tomáš, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
- Human rights activists: Czech police officers who intervened against Stanislav Tomáš should be suspended until investigations end, ban kneeling on the neck during interventions
- LIVE BROADCAST TOMORROW 10 AM: Press conference on the case of the death of Stanislav Tomáš in the Czech Republic
- Civil society members of Czech Govt Roma Council: Investigate police response in Sokolov - it was inadequate and undermines trust in the police
- The confirmation that Slavia Prague hooligans with violent pasts were among those attacking Roma in the Czech town of Sokolov? Selfies.
- Polish football hooligans allegedly physically assault Romani man in Přerov, Czech Republic for objecting to their racist comments
- Several dozen Romani people protest in Sokolov, Czech Republic over the attack by football hooligans on local Roma
- Czech Police director of the Karlovy Vary Region: Internal Affairs Department investigating video of intervention by police in Sokolov
- Out-of-town youth assault Romani child and then other Roma in Sokolov - Czech Police defused the conflict and are investigating, local Roma not happy with their response
- Stanislav Tomáš, who died in police custody, laid to rest in Teplice, Czech Republic. Civil society and his family call for his death to be properly investigated
- Justice for Stanislav. Family of the late Romani man from Teplice, Czech Republic publishes obituary, funeral will be Saturday
- Czech Police reject request for a second autopsy of the late Stanislav Tomáš, whose funeral will take place on Saturday, 24 July
- Commentary: David Mezei, false prophet, and the Romani elite of the Czech Republic
- Czech attorney for the family of Stanislav Tomáš has requested a second autopsy - Romea.cz refutes disinformation being spread by Facebook LIVE broadcasters
- Romani community members rescue children from apartment fire on Czech housing estate
- VIDEO: "Kneeling on the neck means death" - debut from Romani rapper Filip Šenki in the Czech Republic
- Roma Lives Matter demo in Czech capital hears eyewitness testimony that Stanislav Tomáš was carried motionless on a stretcher into the ambulance
- Czech Govt Roma Council adopts resolution calling for investigation of the Teplice case and for the public to be informed
- Family of the late Stanislav Tomáš files crime report against the Czech Police through their attorney
- European capitals see unprecedented wave of solidarity with Czech Roma and protests over the death of Stanislav Tomáš
- Czech capital to see demonstration for Stanislav Tomáš today expressing disagreement with police intervention and support for local community
- ROMEA TV WILL BROADCAST LIVE 14:00 CET: Memorial gathering for Stanislav Tomáš in Teplice, Czech Republic
- Czech cardiologist: Drug users have broken health, breathing problems introduced during an arrest can have tragic results
- Romani Rose, head of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma: Czech Police intervention in Teplice was abhorrent, brutal, and inhumane
- Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry announces its readiness to communicate findings of investigation into Teplice case
- Czech Police briefing: It is still unclear where Romani detainee collapsed, police have no other video footage other than what has already been published
- According to the Czech Inspector-General of the Security Forces, officers did not commit a crime when kneeling on neck of man who later died, more video footage has been posted online
- Czech Govt Human Rights Commissioner calls for investigation of police intervention against Romani man who later died to be made a priority
- Amnesty International calls on the Czech authorities to immediately, impartially and thoroughly investigate the police intervention after which a Romani man died
- Czech Police President backs officers who intervened against Romani man who later died, expresses regret at the loss of life - the first such statement
- Council of Europe seeks independent, thorough investigation of the death of Romani community member Stanislav Tomáš in Teplice, Czech Republic
- Czech Deputy Public Defender of Rights will investigate controversial police intervention after which Romani community member Stanislav Tomáš died
- Romani Lives Matter. Czech town sees candles and flowers placed at the site of the tragic death of a Romani man after police intervention involving kneeling on his neck
- Czech Police release new video footage of what preceded police intervention against Romani man who died thereafter
- Civil society members of the Czech Govt Roma Council ask Interior Minister to prioritize the thorough investigation of the death of a Romani man after a police intervention
- Czech Police: According to court-ordered autopsy, death of young Romani man unconnected to police intervention
- Czech Police statement on their kneeling intervention: Internal Affairs is investigating, autopsy will determine cause of death, the man collapsed in the ambulance
- Romani man dies after Czech Police kneel on his neck, they say drugs caused his death. Romani activists see parallels to George Floyd
Related articles:
- Czech Interior Ministry plan to house Romani refugees from Ukraine scuppered by Regional Governors, four bids sought from private sector instead
- Czech detention facility housing 130+ refugees from Ukraine, half of them are Romani
- Prague asks the Czech state for aid with accommodation of groups of Romani refugees from Ukraine, mayor says the state's effort has failed so far
- Czech reporter: "Why are Romani refugees ending up in detention facilities? Because nobody else wants them!"
- Czech Deputy Public Defender of Rights: Police ignored whether the man they restrained was even alive, ambulance called too late
- Czech Regional Governors reject most buildings proposed for housing Romani refugees from Ukraine, agreeing on just three with the Interior Minister
- Roma Luma leaders: Romani refugees from Ukraine are discriminated in the Czech Republic. Regional Governors and ombudsman: These are economic migrants
- Czech state acknowledges problem with finding accommodation for Romani Ukrainian refugees, Mayor of Prague calls for all free capacities to be provided
- Civil society members of Czech Govt Roma Council call on Romani men and women to aid Romani Ukrainian refugees with finding housing by using state program
- Czech Interior Ministry: It is unacceptable to evict residential hotel tenants in order to access state support for arrivals from Ukraine
- Czech and international organizations support bereaved family with Constitutional Court complaint over death of Stanislav Tomáš in police custody
- Czech General Inspection of Security Forces claims officers' procedure in case of Romani man who died in custody was correct