A fire in a retirement home in Milan, Italy resulted in six fatalities and nearly 80 injuries, according to Italian authorities.
The residential building known as the “Home of the Spouses,” in the Corvetto neighborhood, witnessed the tragedy which reportedly ignited from a room on the first floor.
The Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, who visited the site of the incident, relayed that two residents had burned to death in their rooms. The toxic smoke emitted by the fire resulted in the other four fatalities. The residential complex, which houses 167 occupants, was subjected to a situation that could have potentially been more disastrous, the Mayor pointed out.
Nicola Miceli, the fire chief of the area, disclosed that around 80 individuals were removed from the raging fire, many of whom were wheelchair-bound, and another 80 taken to the hospital. The rescuing operation was particularly intricate due to reduced visibility from heavy smoke and the mobility issues of the residents.
Lucia, a local inhabitant, hailed the heroism of the rescuers, recounting how the seniors had to cover their faces with fabrics to fend off the poisonous fumes. Firefighters promptly reached the site post 1 am, managing to prevent the spread of the fire to other sections of the building.
In a statement from Luca Cari, a spokesperson for the firefighters, it was announced that an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Preliminary evaluations hint at a likely accidental trigger for the catastrophic event.
