TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A retirement home in Bosnia and Herzegovina caught fire, killing 12 residents, as reported by Radio Television of Republika Srpska on Thursday, as cited by Antara.
Prior to this, local authorities stated that the fire in Tuzla on Tuesday had claimed 11 lives and injured 35 others.
The University Clinical Centre in the city informed the prosecutor’s office that an 84-year-old elderly woman, ST, who sustained injuries, has succumbed, bringing the death toll to 12.
Autopsy results for the other 11 victims indicated that they died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
At the time of the incident, the victims were on the seventh floor, the residence area for the bedridden and those having limited mobility.
It is still unclear what caused the fire, which engulfed the seventh floor of the building in Tuzla, approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, after it occurred on Tuesday night.
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“I had gone to bed when I heard a cracking sound. I don’t know if it was the windows in my room breaking,” said Ruza Kajic, a resident, to the national television station BHRT on Wednesday, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
“I live on the third floor,” she said. “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.”
Admir Vojnic, who lives near the retirement home, also stated that he saw “huge flames and smoke, and elderly and helpless people standing outside” the building.
Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire and identify the fatalities, said prosecution spokesperson Admir Arnautovic to the reporters.
“The identification of the bodies will take place during the day,” Arnautovic said.
Meanwhile, the director of the retirement home stated that he has submitted his resignation.
“It’s the only human thing to do, the least I can do in this tragedy. My heart goes out to the families of the victims,” said Mirsad Bakalovic to the news agency Fena.
“Last night was a truly difficult event, a tragedy not only for the city of Tuzla, but for all of Bosnia.”
Officials from various governing bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed their condolences and offered their assistance to the Tuzla authorities.
“We feel the pain and are always ready to help,” wrote Savo Minic, the prime minister of the autonomous Serb Republic, on X.
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