International Writing.- A fire that occurred at dawn this Friday in a nursing home in Milan left at least six dead and some 80 injured, three of them in critical condition, according to information from the Italian authorities.
The fire originated in a room on the first floor of the center. It went out quickly and did not spread to the rest of the building, but it produced a large amount of toxic fumes.
Two residents burned to death in their bedroom, while four others died of intoxication, Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said in statements to the press at the scene.
“It could have been (even) worse. That said, six deaths is a very high balance, “said Sala, indicating that the establishment housed 167 people.
Firefighter spokesman Luca Cari said the cause of the fire was being investigated, but added it was likely accidental.
Firefighters intervened in the “Home of the Spouses” residential center, located in the Corvetto neighborhood, in the southeast of the city, shortly after 1 in the morning, time (7 pm Miami time, this Thursday).
Some 80 people were evacuated, many of them in wheelchairs, while another 80 were taken to hospital, local fire chief Nicola Miceli told RAI public television.
Miceli described the rescue operations as “particularly difficult” due to heavy smoke, which limited visibility, and the fact that many residents could not stand without help.
Lucia, a local resident, said she saw some of them “gasping” at their windows, wearing rags over their faces to protect themselves from the smoke.
He said the rescue teams “were wonderful” in helping everyone. “Those who could walk, they took them out walking, those who couldn’t, I think they took them out in their sheets.”
