Lots of fire and many questions still unanswered. While the intense work of the firefighters continues (six teams have been working since this afternoon) intent on putting out the vast fire that broke out on the upper floor of the Messina Chamber of Commerce, a first hypothesis emerges as to what caused the fire. According to what transpired in the evening, the cause of the fire was work in progress on a sheathing in the attic, started due to some water infiltrations. However, doubts remain and it is still early to reach definitive conclusions.
The conditions of the building
The side most affected by the flames is the one overlooking the most downstream part of Via Giordano Bruno. But as the hours passed, the front of the flames spread to the entire upper part of the historic building. The third floor housed the premises of IRSAP, the land reclamation consortium and Confagricoltura. It seems that when the firefighters intervened, the water connections provided for these enormously valuable buildings did not work, so it was necessary to wait for the tankers. Other questions also remain, starting with the functioning of the fire prevention system.
No harm to people
Much of the building’s roof, whose trusses are made of wood, collapsed. However, no damage was reported to the people inside. The building was obviously promptly evacuated. Valuable works of art, especially paintings, have all been secured. The damage, however, is extensive. During the afternoon, the president of the Chamber of Commerce Ivo Blandina and the general secretary of the organization Paola Sabella, who was inside the building at the time of the fire, arrived on site. Prefect Di Stani and mayor Basile also followed the operations.
Work on the building
From the official documents of the Messina Chamber of Commerce emerge several interventions on the roof of the building in recent years. Already in July 2024, urgent works had been ordered to eliminate water infiltrations, followed by further measures in April 2025 and July 2026. On October 19th, just 17 days before the fire, a resolution ordered the payment of the expense for maintenance work on the roof at the offices of the Provincial Farmers’ Union.
An ancient palace
The structure affected by the flames was built in 1926, while the floor that burned dates back to 1956.
Tamajo: «Closeness to employees and the entire Chamber of Commerce community»
«I express my solidarity and closeness to the employees, management and the entire community of the Messina Chamber of Commerce for the fire that affected the institution’s headquarters. We are carefully following the evolution of the situation, with the hope that there will be no consequences for people and that the damage can be contained.” This was declared by the regional councilor for Productive Activities, Edy Tamajo. «Thanks go to the firefighters and all the operators involved in the firefighting and safety operations. The Chamber of Commerce represents a fundamental support for the local production system. The Sicilian Region is ready to offer, within its competence, the necessary support so that the organisation’s activities can continue regularly”.
Sicindustria: “Serious event that affects the city’s identity”
«We are following with great concern what is happening at the Messina Chamber of Commerce, a building that represents an important institutional and economic presence for the territory and which also hosts the headquarters of our territorial delegation». This is said by the president of Sicindustria, Luigi Rizzolo, who together with Giuseppe Lupò, at the helm of Sicindustria Messina, expresses his closeness to the president of the chamber of commerce Ivo Blandina, to the general secretary Paola Sabella and to the entire chamber of commerce community. «The first and most important news – adds Rizzolo – is that, at the moment, no injuries have been reported. Our heartfelt thanks go to all those who are working on site, in particular the firefighters. The images of the fire and the collapse of part of the roof convey the dimension of a serious event, which affects not only a place of work and representation, but also a significant piece of the history and identity of Messina”.
Unioncamere Sicilia: “An event that strikes at the heart of the home of businesses”
The president of Unioncamere Sicilia, Giuseppe Pace, all the presidents and extraordinary commissioners of the chamber system of Sicily and the general secretary, Santa Vaccaro, express all their solidarity and closeness to the president Ivo Blandina, to the general secretary, Paola Sabella, and to all the staff who are experiencing these dramatic hours in which a serious fire has hit the historic building home to the Messina Chamber of Commerce.
“We understand the feelings of fear and horror for having suffered the violent attack of the flames and for the evacuation in full work activity and we share the discouragement for this event which strikes at the heart of the “house of companies” and all the historical, symbolic and institutional values of an entity which represents not only an important economic fabric, but also the willpower of an entire city which in the adversities of its history has always been able to get back up – said Giuseppe Pace – and we are certain that this willpower, together the support that the entire chamber system will be able to give, will allow President Blandina and the entire Chamber of Commerce to heal the wounds and resume their role as a beacon for businesses in the Strait area and the entire province as soon as possible”.
Cisl: “Disconcerted. Fundamental structure for the city and the economic fabric of the territory”
“We are disconcerted to see the images of the fire at the Chamber of Commerce. We hope that the work of the firefighters to put out the flames and ensure safety will be concluded soon. We are close to the president of the Chamber of Commerce Ivo Blandina, the general secretary Paola Sabella and all the associations and workers who work in the historic building”.
Thus the general secretary of the CISL Messina, Antonino Alibrandi, on the fire that hit the Chamber of Commerce building in the afternoon. “I hope that we can intervene quickly also to recover the functionality of the structure which in any case is a fundamental structure for the entrepreneurial fabric and for the life of the commercial activities in the area. Therefore, we hope that we can intervene very quickly to secure and put the services back into operation.” Among the offices damaged were those of IRSAP and other trade associations. “All structures that have a functionality for the territory, for the artisanal areas and which, in some way, for now, must be placed and guaranteed. We also need to understand if documents have also been destroyed. But at the moment there is only bewilderment and disappointment”.