Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Reuters
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The death toll in a fire that broke out at a nursing home in Tuzla in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday rose to 11, with around 30 injured, police said.
The fire ripped through the seventh floor of the old nine-story building at around 8:45 p.m. local time (2:45 p.m. ET) on Tuesday, with flames and smoke spilling into the night sky from the top floor. The cause was not immediately known.
Local media said many of the dead were disabled and those rescued were moved from upper floors to lower floors by emergency services. Some of the injured were in serious condition.
Police said identification of the victims will begin later on Wednesday and an investigation into the cause of the fire will begin when conditions permit.
“Authorities are taking all necessary steps to clarify the circumstances that led to this tragic incident,” the nursing home said in a statement.
The government of Republika Srpska, one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s two entities, has offered support to Tuzla.
“We feel the pain and are always ready to help,” Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Sabo Minic wrote about X.