Bosnia official puts death toll in retirement home fire at 11, with over 30 injured

At least 11 people have died and more than 30 others were injured in a devastating fire that swept through a retirement facility in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday evening, local officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The blaze broke out on the seventh floor of the residential complex, with early reports indicating the fire affected areas primarily housing elderly residents with limited mobility and health issues. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Tuzla Mayor Zijad Lugavic told reporters that emergency responders were among those injured while battling the flames and rescuing residents. City officials have convened an emergency meeting to assess the full extent of the tragedy and coordinate relief efforts.

Resident Ruza Kajic, who lives on the third floor of the building, recounted the terrifying moments when the fire began. “I had already gone to bed when I heard popping sounds,” she said. “Then I saw flames falling down from the upper floors.”

The retirement facility’s layout appears to have complicated rescue efforts. According to local media reports, the upper floors of the building house residents who are bedridden or otherwise unable to evacuate without assistance, creating significant challenges for emergency personnel.

Bosnia’s aging infrastructure and emergency response systems have faced scrutiny in recent years, with critics pointing to underfunding and outdated safety measures in many public and residential buildings. The country, still recovering from the devastation of the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, struggles with limited resources for social services and healthcare for its elderly population.

This incident represents one of the deadliest structural fires in Bosnia in recent memory. The retirement home tragedy highlights the vulnerability of institutional care facilities, particularly those housing individuals with mobility limitations who face greater risks during emergency evacuations.

Fire safety experts have long warned about the particular dangers that blazes pose in facilities caring for elderly or disabled residents. Retirement homes and similar institutions require specialized evacuation protocols and enhanced fire prevention systems due to the challenges of evacuating residents who may be unable to escape without significant assistance.

Local authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims as they work to notify next of kin. Medical teams from surrounding areas have been mobilized to assist with treating the injured, with several victims reportedly suffering from severe burns and smoke inhalation.

Community response has been swift, with neighboring towns offering support and temporary housing for displaced residents. Local charities have begun collecting essential items for survivors who lost belongings in the blaze.

The fire has prompted calls for a review of safety standards in retirement facilities and similar institutions across the country. Opposition politicians have already demanded an investigation into whether the building met current fire safety regulations and if proper evacuation procedures were in place and practiced regularly.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, with its complex political structure split between the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska entities, often faces challenges in implementing and enforcing unified safety standards across the country.

As investigators begin the process of determining the fire’s cause, questions remain about whether additional safety measures could have prevented or mitigated the tragedy. Officials expect the investigation to take several weeks as they examine the building’s fire suppression systems, evacuation routes, and adherence to safety codes.