SARAJEVO, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two more residents of the Tuzla Retirement Home in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), who had been hospitalized after the recent fire, have died, the University Clinical Center (UKC) Tuzla said on Tuesday.
The latest fatalities bring the death toll from the Nov. 4 blaze at the facility to 17. More than 30 others were injured in the fire.
Investigators earlier concluded that the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the connection cable of a radio receiver placed near a bed. Emergency crews and medical teams responded swiftly, but many elderly residents suffered severe smoke inhalation and burns.
Founded in 1980, the Tuzla Retirement Home is a publicly owned, non-profit, self-financed institution under the authority of the City of Tuzla. While city officials appoint its management, the home receives no municipal subsidies or operational funding, relying instead on its own income for maintenance and care services.
The tragedy has prompted local authorities to review safety procedures at elderly care facilities across the region as the investigation continues.
