A fire at a nursing home in the Bosnian city of Tuzla has left at least 11 people dead, authorities said on Wednesday.
Local media reported that the facility was home to bedridden patients with severe dementia and cancer.
Dozens of residents, some emergency workers injured
According to police, at least 30 people were injured after the blaze broke out at the facility, located in the downtown part of the city — around 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of Sarajevo.
Emergency workers have been reported to be among those injured.
“Of those hospitalized, four residents are on mechanical ventilation. Five firefighters and three police officers are also among the injured,” publication Balkan Insight quoted spokesperson for the Interior Ministry of Tuzla Canton, Adnana Sprecic as saying.
What we know so far
The fire broke out on the seventh floor of the building in downtown Tuzla around 8:45 pm (1945 GMT), with responding firefighters taking an hour to bring the fire under control.
“I had gone to bed when I heard a cracking sound. I don’t know if it was the windows in my room breaking,” The Reuters news agency quoted resident Ruza Kajic as telling national broadcaster BHRT.
“I live on the third floor… I looked out the window and saw burning material falling from above. I ran out into the hallway. On the upper floors, there are bedridden people,” she added.
While the cause of the fire is under investigation, Bosnian news portal klix.ba reported that residents and relatives had been criticizing conditions at the nursing home for years.
Among some of the complaints mentioned were issues such as damp, food quality and treatment by staff.
Edited by: Rana Taha
