SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Nine people have died after a fire swept through a nursing home Monday in eastern Bulgaria, officials said.
An old school building in the eastern village of Royak that was transformed into a nursing home caught fire at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT), while dozens of residents were preparing for dinner.
“Unfortunately, nine people passed away out of the 58 who were in the home at the time,” fire inspector Tihomir Totev told reporters.
Most of the residents had to be evacuated from the building and some received medical treatment for smoke inhalation, he added.
The Interior Ministry said the blaze “started from the roof of the building” and has been extinguished.
The cause of the fire is not yet known but officials say an investigation will be launched.
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