Six people were killed and 80 others were injured, three of them in critical condition, in a fire at a retirement home in the Italian city of Milan early Friday, according to Italian authorities.
The fire started around 1 am (Friday). Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said two of the dead died of burns in their room, while the other four died of suffocation, CNN reported. This happened despite the fire being brought under control immediately.
Sala said, “It could have been (much) worse. Having said that, six deaths is a huge number.”
There were reportedly 167 people living in the ‘Home of the Spouses’ facility. According to fire officials, about 80 people, including residents in wheelchairs, were evacuated from the retirement home when the fire broke out, while another 80 people were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Heavy smoke limited visibility and complicated rescue operations, with many residents unable to stand without assistance, according to local fire chief Nicola Micelli.
Fighters’ spokesman Luca Carey said an investigation had been launched into the incident, but the cause of the fire was probably accidental.
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