Fire at a retiree boarding house in Bosnia kills several people, media reports say

A deadly fire swept through a retirement home in the northeastern Bosnian town of Tuzla on Tuesday, claiming multiple lives and sending dozens to hospitals, according to local officials and media reports.

The blaze, which reportedly started on one of the upper floors of the facility, is believed to have killed at least 10 residents, according to the Dnevni Avaz daily newspaper. The publication reported that a minimum of 20 people have been hospitalized so far, though the actual number of injured could be significantly higher.

Irfan Halilagic, the leader of the Tuzla Canton, confirmed fatalities to Dnevni Avaz but declined to specify the exact death toll. “We are now looking where to accommodate the residents,” Halilagic stated, highlighting the urgent need to relocate survivors from the damaged building.

The fire created a chaotic scene as residents scrambled to escape the flames. Ruza Kajic, a third-floor resident, recounted her terrifying experience to Avaz TV. “I had gone to bed when I heard popping sounds,” she said. “I saw flames falling from upper floors. Everything started breaking. I don’t know if my windows are in one piece. I rushed out.”

Emergency responders arrived quickly at the scene, with firefighters working to evacuate residents while simultaneously battling the blaze. Media footage showed intense flames engulfing one floor of the facility as rescue operations continued.

While multiple Bosnian media outlets have reported on the fire’s casualties, citing police sources, official law enforcement agencies have not yet released a formal statement confirming the details of the incident.

This tragedy highlights the ongoing challenges facing elder care facilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country still recovering from the devastating 1992-1995 war that left much of its infrastructure damaged and its social services strained. The retirement home in Tuzla represents one of many such facilities operating across the country, often with limited resources for safety upgrades and emergency preparedness.

Fires in residential care facilities are particularly dangerous due to the vulnerability of elderly residents, many of whom have mobility issues or require assistance to evacuate quickly. Similar incidents across Europe in recent years have prompted calls for stricter fire safety regulations and improved emergency response protocols in facilities housing older adults.

Tuzla, located about 75 kilometers (47 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, is Bosnia’s third-largest city with a population of approximately 110,000. The industrial center is known for its salt lake and as an important cultural and educational hub in the region.

The full extent of the damage to the retirement home remains unclear, as does the future accommodation plan for surviving residents. Local authorities are likely to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire and whether proper safety measures were in place at the facility.

As emergency services continue their work at the scene, families of residents have been gathering at local hospitals and at the site of the fire seeking information about their loved ones. Community members have reportedly begun organizing assistance for the displaced seniors, demonstrating the tight-knit nature of the Tuzla community in times of crisis.

Officials are expected to release more details about the incident, including the final casualty figures and the possible cause of the fire, as their investigation progresses in the coming days.