Fire at Indonesia Retirement Home Claims 16 Lives

A devastating fire broke out at the Werdha Damai retirement home in the city of Manado, located on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, on Sunday night. The inferno tragically claimed the lives of 16 people, as confirmed by local police on Monday.

Manado Police Chief Irham Halid, speaking at a press conference, stated that the authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, which rapidly engulfed the retirement home late on Sunday evening.
 

News footage from Metro TV captured harrowing scenes of the fire, with the flames lighting up the night sky in an orange glow. It showed some residents attempting to help an elderly person escape the burning building.

On Monday, the remains of the home were strewn with debris. Olva Sumual, the home's caretaker, shared that around 30 elderly residents were present in the facility at the time of the incident.
 

Local authorities confirmed that the fire had been extinguished late on Sunday, but the devastation left behind is palpable. Investigations into the exact cause of the fire are ongoing.