Italy old home fire kills 6 elderly residents; dozens hospitalised

A tragic fire broke out at a retirement home in Milan during the early hours of Friday, resulting in the loss of six lives, according to firefighters. 

Approximately 80 other residents were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation. The three-storey building, which housed 167 people, became engulfed in flames in the early morning.

Eyewitness Lucia, a local resident who could see the home from her house, described the scene as "hellish." She recounted seeing elderly individuals protecting their faces with wet rags while windows cracked under the intense heat.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, as stated by the fire brigade. Emergency services, including over 10 ambulances, multiple fire trucks, and a mortuary van, responded to the incident at the retirement home located in the southern part of the city.

In a tweet, the fire brigade reported, "Six people killed, numerous others suffering from smoke inhalation hospitalized. Dozens of people saved by firefighters who immediately evacuated the building." Milan's fire chief, Nicola Micele, confirmed that around 80 people were rushed to the hospital, with two in critical condition. Italian media reported that 14 others were in serious condition.

According to reports, the victims included five women aged between 69 and 87, as well as a 73-year-old man. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala explained that the fire originated in a room occupied by two female residents, both of whom tragically lost their lives in the blaze. While the fire did not spread to neighboring rooms, the smoke proved to be deadly, causing the deaths of the other four victims due to inhalation.

A staff member alerted authorities at 1:20 am after noticing smoke, leading to the immediate dispatch of four teams of firefighters. They encountered severe visibility issues in a corridor and flames in one room. Their primary focus was extinguishing the fire and evacuating the residents. The evacuation process was challenging due to smoke and the limited mobility of some residents, requiring them to be carried out individually.

Mayor Sala noted that the evacuation involved residents being carried out one by one, with each person receiving identifying bracelets and thermal emergency blankets. The council is now working to find alternative accommodation in suitable retirement homes for the affected individuals.

The retirement home, privately operated under the name "Casa per Coniugi," caters to elderly individuals who require assistance but do not need hospitalization. Like many similar facilities, it faced significant challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, with 53 residents reportedly succumbing to the virus by April 2020, according to the Corriere della Sera.