Some 30 people have been injured in a fire which broke out on Saturday morning in the reception centre for illegal migrants in Velika Kladusa, northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Una-Sana Canton police spokesman Ale Siljdedic said.

The fire broke out in a former factory which was repurposed last year for the temporary accommodation of migrants.

“The fire broke out at 6:30 am in the Miral migrant centre, and 32 migrants were injured. They were sent to local hospitals in Bihac and Velika Kladusa for further treatment. After the fire was out, investigators concluded that it was an accident caused by an electrical hot plate used by migrants,” Siljdedic said for N1.

Witnesses said they saw migrants jumping out of windows in a panic. Local media released video footage of the former factory encircled by thick smoke.

Siljdedic added that no one was seriously injured and that their lives are not threatened by the severity of injuries.

More than 6,000 illegal migrants have entered Bosnia this year and most of those who arrive in the country in an attempt to reach Croatia seek temporary accommodation in Velika Kladusa and Bihac.

Local authorities have been warning for months that they can no longer handle the migrant flow and seek greater assistance from the state authorities and the international community.