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Tragedy strikes Damai retirement home in Manado
Sixteen elderly residents lost their lives and three others sustained injuries after a fire swept through the Damai nursing home in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Sunday night, local authorities confirmed.
Timeline of the blaze
Emergency services received the first alert at 20:30 local time (12:30 GMT), according to the city's fire and rescue agency. The flames were extinguished by 21:30 (13:30 GMT), but not before claiming multiple lives.
Jimmy Rotinsulu, head of Manado's fire and rescue agency, told AFP that many victims were discovered in their rooms, suggesting they were resting when the fire erupted.
Eyewitness accounts and rescue efforts
Steven Mokodompit, a resident living near the facility, recounted the rapid spread of the fire. He arrived at the scene around 20:00 (12:00 GMT) and found flames already consuming the kitchen area.
"Within five minutes, the entire building was engulfed. We heard an explosion and screams for help."
Steven Mokodompit, local resident
Mokodompit and others improvised an escape route by stacking tables and ladders to reach residents trapped at the back of the home.
Investigation and identification challenges
Police are still determining the cause of the fire. Authorities have urged family members of potential victims to contact the hospital where the bodies were taken for identification.
A local official told Detikcom that many of the deceased were in an "unrecognizable" state, complicating the process.
Indonesia's history of deadly fires
The tragedy follows another fatal blaze earlier this month, when a fire in a seven-story office building in Jakarta claimed 22 lives. Such incidents remain a recurring hazard in the country.
