SARAJEVO, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Bosnian police on Tuesday detained two officials over a deadly fire at a retirement home in the northeastern town of Tuzla that killed 17 people, prosecutors said.
The fire broke out on the evening of November 4 on the seventh floor of the building, where 180 elderly residents lived.
Ten people died during the night from breathing in fumes and seven more died in the following days. Dozens were hurt.
An initial investigation showed the fire was caused by a short circuit in the room of one of the residents.
Prosecutors allege the officials failed to provide fire protection measures, adequate staffing and security systems that could have sped up evacuation. Both were questioned as accomplices in committing grave criminal acts against public safety, the prosecutor’s office said.
Further steps will be decided after questioning, it said.
(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Ros Russell)
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