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

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) – A fire at a boarding house for retirees Tuesday in the northeastern Bosnian town of Tuzla has killed several people, an official and Bosnian media said.

The Dnevni Avaz daily reported that at least 10 people were killed when the fire erupted on one of the higher floors of the building.

The same source said that at least 20 people have been hospitalized so far but that many more people are likely injured.

Cantonal leader Irfan Halilagic confirmed in a comment to Daily Avaz that there have been fatalities but did not specify how many people died. Halilagic added that “we are now looking where to accommodate the residents.”

The newspaper and other Bosnia media outlets cited police sources in reporting on the deadly fire, but police had not yet publicly confirmed details.

Ruza Kajic, who lives at the third floor, said she had gone to bed when she heard “popping sounds” and saw flames falling from upper floors.

“Everything started breaking, I don’t know if my windows are in one piece,” Kajic told Avaz TV. “I rushed out.”

Media images from the scene showed a blaze on one of the facility’s floors. Firefighters evacuated the building as they contained the blaze.