Post by : Rameen Ariff

A severe fire erupted at a retirement home in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, killing 10 people and injuring 20. The blaze began late on Tuesday evening on the facility's seventh floor, shortly after 20:45 local time.

Firefighters, police, medical teams and care staff converged on the scene to evacuate residents and deliver emergency treatment. Twenty people were transported to a medical centre; several suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and three patients remain in critical condition in intensive care.

Authorities say the origin of the fire is still unknown and a thorough investigation will start once investigators can safely access the building. Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić described the episode as "a disaster of enormous proportions," underlining the scale of the tragedy.

Željko Komšić, chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s tripartite presidency, offered condolences to the victims' families and pledged support to those affected.

Those who lived at the home recalled scenes of panic as flames spread. Resident Ruza Kajic, who was on the third floor, said she was awakened by cracking noises and saw burning debris falling from higher levels. "I ran into the corridor and realised there were bed-bound people on the upper floors," she said.

Video from the incident shows flames pouring from windows on the upper stories while emergency crews worked to bring the blaze under control and evacuate occupants.

The disaster has reignited worries about fire safety standards in care institutions and the effectiveness of emergency planning to protect vulnerable residents.

Officials and advocacy groups are calling for prompt safety audits across similar facilities in the region to prevent comparable tragedies.

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