Fire Guts Indonesian Nursing Home, Kills 16

At least 16 people have been killed and three others injured after a fire swept through a nursing home for elderly residents in northern Indonesia, local authorities have confirmed.

The fire broke out on Sunday night at the Damai retirement home in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province. The city’s fire department said it received a distress call at about 20:30 local time (12:30 GMT).

According to the head of the Manado fire and rescue agency, Jimmy Rotinsulu, many of the victims were found inside their rooms and are believed to be elderly residents who were resting when the fire started.

Firefighters brought the inferno under control roughly an hour later, at around 21:30 local time (02:30 GMT +1). Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

Authorities said efforts are ongoing to identify the deceased, urging relatives of residents to contact the hospital where the bodies have been taken. A local official told online news outlet Detikcom that many of the victims were in an “unrecognisable” condition due to the severity of the fire.

A nearby resident, Steven Mokodompit, said he was among those who helped evacuate residents from the home. He told Detik.com that when he arrived at about 20:00 local time (01:00 GMT +1), the fire was already burning in the kitchen area.

“During the evacuation, we heard an explosion and people screaming for help,” he said. “In just five minutes, the fire had engulfed the building.”

Mokodompit added that he and others stacked tables and ladders to help residents escape through the back of the facility.

Deadly fires are relatively common in Indonesia, often linked to poor building safety standards.

Earlier this month, a fire in a seven-storey office building in the capital, Jakarta, claimed at least 22 lives.