Fire at Bosnian Retirement Home Kills at Least 11, Dozens Injured

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

SARAJEVO/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Authorities in Bosnia were struggling Wednesday to find shelter for elderly residents after a fire at a retirement home in the northeastern town of Tuzla killed at least 11 people and injured more than 30, officials and local media said.

The blaze broke out late Tuesday evening on the upper floors of a nine-storey residential facility housing dozens of retirees, many of them with limited mobility.

Police and emergency services confirmed that firefighters brought the flames under control, but several residents were unable to escape in time.

“We are now looking where to accommodate the residents,” Cantonal leader Irfan Halilagić told the daily Dnevni Avaz.

DEADLY BLAZE

The fire reportedly began around 9 p.m. local time on the building’s seventh floor, officials said. Witnesses told Bosnian media they heard “popping sounds” before flames erupted.

Ruza Kajic, who lives on the third floor, told Avaz TV that she had gone to bed when she saw burning debris fall from the upper floors.

“Everything started breaking… I rushed out,” she said.

Authorities said most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. At least 20 people were taken to Tuzla’s University Clinical Center, where doctors reported several cases of carbon-monoxide poisoning and burns.

Local police have launched an investigation into the cause of the blaze, which severely damaged the facility’s upper floors.

SAFETY CONCERNS

The tragedy has drawn attention to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s aging infrastructure and limited fire-safety capacity.

Many public buildings date back to the Yugoslav era, when the Balkan nation was still part of Yugoslavia before its collapse, and lack modern fire-alarm and sprinkler systems.

According to a recent European Commission progress report, Bosnia’s enforcement of building-safety and emergency-response standards remains “only partially aligned” with European Union norms.

Fire-safety inspections are often hampered by funding shortages and overlapping local jurisdictions, the report noted.

SCARRED BY HISTORY

Tuzla, a city of about 110,000 people, has faced tragedy before. During the Bosnian War, on May 25, 1995, Serbian forces shelled the town in what became known as the Tuzla Massacre, killing 71 civilians and wounding 240, according to historical and court records.

The city has since rebuilt much of its infrastructure, but Tuesday’s fire has revived painful memories for residents.

Local officials said efforts were underway to relocate survivors to other facilities in Tuzla and nearby towns.

Police and fire inspectors remained at the scene on Wednesday to determine the precise cause of the fire.

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