Jakarta, December 29:
At least 16 people have died after a devastating fire broke out at a nursing home in Manado, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province. The cause of the fire is still unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation.
According to news agency Xinhua, local officials said the fire erupted at around 8:36 pm on Sunday at the Panti Werda Damai nursing home located in Pal Dua district of Manado. Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving the alert.
The city administration deployed three fire engines, and firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by around 9:30 pm local time.
North Sulawesi Regional Police spokesperson Alamsyah P. Hasibuan said the bodies of the victims have been taken to Bhayangkara Hospital for identification. Once the identification process is completed, the remains will be handed over to the families.
Police and rescue teams immediately secured the area and began evacuation and relief operations. Survivors were rushed to Manado City Regional Hospital and Permata Bunda Hospital for medical treatment.
Hasibuan added that forensic teams are examining the site to determine the sequence of events and the initial cause of the fire. Witnesses are also being questioned as part of the investigation.
The tragedy comes just days after another major accident in Indonesia. On December 22, a speeding passenger bus crashed near the Krapyak toll exit in Semarang, Central Java, killing 15 people and injuring 19 others.
