Fire at Indonesian retirement home kills 16 residents

MANADO, Indonesia (AP) — A fire at an Indonesian retirement home killed 16 residents on Sunday evening, police said.

The fire in the single-story house in Manado in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi Province started while the residents were asleep, police said Monday.

Several people living near the nursing home saw smoke billowing around 8 p.m. Neighbors reportedly helped rescue several occupants.

“The team on the ground has confirmed that the death toll currently is 16,” North Sulawesi police spokesperson Alamsyah Hasibuan said. “Fifteen of them were burned to death, while one victim’s body remains intact.”

Firefighters with six trucks needed more than two hours to extinguish the blaze after nearby residents reported the fire to emergency services, officials said.

There were 15 survivors who were treated at local hospitals in Manado City, Hasibuan said.

The bodies of victims were taken to the police hospital in Manado for identification with the assistance of families, officials said.

Television reports Sunday showed bright flames casting an orange glow and filling the night air with smoke. Body bags were lined up outside the retirement home.

An initial police report said an electrical fault caused the fire but officials later said the cause was still under investigation.

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Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.