The blaze engulfed the seventh floor of the old nine-story building at around 8:45 p.m. local time (2:45 p.m.) on Tuesday, sending flames and smoke pouring out of the top floors into the night sky. The cause was not immediately clear.
Local media said many of the dead had disabilities and those rescued were moved by emergency crews from the upper floors to lower ones. Some of the injured were in critical condition.
Identification of the victims will start later on Wednesday, and an investigation into the cause of the fire will start once conditions allow it, police said.
“Authorities are taking all necessary actions to shed light on the conditions that caused this tragic event,” the retirement home said in a statement.
The government of Republika Srpska, the Serb Republic, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, offered its assistance to Tuzla.
