Six Dead in Devastating Fire at Milan Retirement Home
A horrific blaze tore through a retirement home in Milan in the early hours of Friday, killing six people and hospitalising around 80 more due to smoke inhalation. The three-storey building housed 167 residents at the time of the inferno.
“Hellish” Scenes as Residents Trapped by Smoke and Flames
Local witness Lucia described the nightmare from her nearby home. She saw elderly residents desperately shielding themselves with wet rags as windows shattered under the intense heat. “It was hellish,” she said.
The fire’s cause remains a mystery, with firefighters responding swiftly to the chaos. Over 10 ambulances, multiple fire trucks, and even a mortuary van filled the surrounding streets as rescue efforts unfolded.
Tragic Victims and Heroic Rescue Efforts
The fire brigade confirmed the death toll: five women aged 69 to 87 and one 73-year-old man. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala revealed the blaze began in a room housing two female residents, both of whom sadly perished. While the fire didn’t spread, deadly smoke claimed four more lives.
Fire chief Nicola Micele said dozens were evacuated under tough conditions, with two critically ill in hospital and 14 others seriously injured. Rescue teams helped residents with mobility issues escape, giving out ID bracelets and emergency thermal blankets.
Aftermath: Searching for New Homes and Healing Wounds
The retirement home, “Casa per Coniugi,” is a private facility for elderly needing assistance but not hospital care. It has a grim recent history, having lost 53 residents to COVID-19 by April 2020. Authorities are now scrambling to find alternative housing for the displaced survivors.
