At least 10 dead, dozens injured in deadly fire at Tuzla retirement home

Firefighters from the Tuzla Professional Fire Department, supported by their colleagues from Srebrenik and volunteer fire brigades from Gornja Tuzla and Tuzla, managed to bring the blaze under control. Police officers from the Ministry of Interior of Tuzla Canton (MUP TK) also took part in the rescue operation.

Emergency medical teams from the Tuzla Health Center provided immediate assistance to residents evacuated from the affected floors, relocating them to safer areas within the building. Additional medical personnel from Lukavac, Srebrenik, and Kalesija health centers joined the response efforts. The injured were transported to the University Clinical Center (UKC) in Tuzla. Among the wounded are not only residents but also police officers, firefighters, medical workers, and employees of the retirement home.

According to preliminary reports, ten residents lost their lives in the fire, while about twenty people, including first responders and staff, received medical treatment at UKC Tuzla.

The bodies of the deceased will be transferred to the Commemorative Center for identification and autopsy. A forensic team is on-site, and a full investigation will be launched once conditions allow, in order to determine the cause of the fire and all relevant circumstances, the Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister Nermin Niksic said he had spoken with local officials in Tuzla but emphasized that official information about the number of victims was still pending. He urged the public to rely only on verified reports.

“This is a catastrophe of enormous proportions. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. The Federal Government plans to visit tomorrow and will assist in rebuilding the home and caring for its residents,” Niksic said in a statement broadcast by BHRT.

The prime minister also announced the formation of a FBiH Government team to inspect institutions under its jurisdiction and called on cantonal authorities to do the same. “When something like this happens, we must avoid giving unverified information. We heard many accounts tonight from residents themselves. We must now wait to learn what exactly caused this tragedy,” Niksic concluded.