At least 16 people have been confirmed dead after a fire swept through a nursing home for elderly residents in Manado, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province.
The blaze broke out on Sunday night around 8:30 pm local time at the Damai retirement home, catching many victims in their rooms while they were resting. Three others were injured, while emergency responders evacuated surviving residents from the building.
Local fire officials said most of the victims were found inside their rooms and were unable to escape before the flames spread rapidly through the facility. Witnesses living nearby reported that the fire started in the kitchen area and engulfed the building within minutes, with explosions and cries for help heard as residents struggled to get out.
Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which was brought under control about an hour later. Authorities are still working to identify the victims, some of whom were badly burnt beyond recognition, and have urged relatives to contact the hospital where the bodies were taken. Deadly fires remain a recurring problem in Indonesia, with several major incidents recorded in recent weeks.
