Sixteen people died and three suffered injuries when fire ripped through a Damai retirement home for the elderly in Manado, North Sulawesi. Fire department alerted around 20:30 local time Sunday (12:30 GMT), extinguishing the blaze by 21:30 with many victims found inside rooms likely resting.
Police investigate the cause as authorities urge families to identify unrecognizable deceased at the hospital.
Eyewitness evacuation
Neighbor Steven Mokodompit helped evacuate residents after arriving around 20:00 when the kitchen was already on fire; an explosion and screams were heard as the fire engulfed the building in five minutes. Locals stacked tables and ladders for rear escape while deadly fires plague Indonesia, like the recent Jakarta office blaze killing 22.
Source: BBC
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