TUZLA – At least 11 people were killed and about 30 others injured after a massive fire broke out at a retirement home in Tuzla, northern Bosnia, late Tuesday night, local authorities confirmed.
The blaze erupted around 1945 GMT on the seventh floor of a nine-storey residential building, quickly spreading flames and thick smoke through the upper levels. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, rescuing residents trapped on the upper floors and moving them to safety. Local media reported that many of the victims were elderly residents with disabilities, while several of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
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Police stated that identification of the victims will begin once conditions inside the building allow, and a formal investigation into the cause will follow shortly after.
“The authorities are taking all necessary actions to shed light on the conditions that caused this tragic event,” the retirement home management said in a statement.
In a show of solidarity, Republika Srpska’s Prime Minister Savo Minic expressed condolences and offered assistance from the Serb Republic, one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s two entities. “We feel the pain and are always ready to help,” Minic.
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