SARAJEVO, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a fire that broke out late Tuesday at a retirement home in Tuzla, northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), has risen to 11, local authorities said Wednesday.
According to the University Clinical Center Tuzla, 35 people have been hospitalized, including five firefighters and three police officers. Four elderly residents remain on mechanical ventilation due to severe injuries.
The Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton has launched an investigation into the cause of the blaze. Investigators from the cantonal criminal police and fire protection inspectorate are conducting on-site inquiries under the supervision of a cantonal prosecutor.
Tuzla Mayor Zijad Lugavic confirmed that the director of the retirement home, Mirsad Bakalovic, has resigned, citing moral responsibility and expressing deep regrets over the tragedy.
Court-appointed experts will join the investigation team to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident, one of BiH's deadliest residential fires in recent years. ■
