Karnobat. A tragedy shook the small village of Ognen, located near Karnobat, after a fire in a local home for the elderly took the life of an 86-year-old woman. The incident, which required a full evacuation of residents, left two people injured and raises serious questions about the safety of such social institutions.
The distress call was received late last night, shortly after 10:00 PM, when 112 was alerted to the spreading fire. According to preliminary information, which is currently under investigation, the source of the fire was an electrical panel in the building. This suggests a possible technical malfunction as the cause of the fatal incident, but the final conclusions will be clarified after the completion of the expertise.
Police and fire teams that arrived on the scene were met with a difficult and heavily smoke-filled situation. The flames quickly engulfed part of the building, which required an immediate and urgent evacuation of all 45 residents of the home. The elderly people, many of whom have reduced mobility, were led out of the building under difficult conditions while the rescue teams fought the fire.
Two of the police officers who participated in the rescue operation inhaled a large amount of smoke. They were examined by medics, but fortunately, their injuries were minor and after receiving first aid, they were released for home treatment.
The greatest drama, however, unfolded during the transportation of the evacuated residents to the hospital in Karnobat. During the journey in one of the ambulances, an 86-year-old woman from Burgas, who was among those housed in the home, died. It is not yet clear whether the cause of death is directly related to smoke inhalation and the stress from the fire, but authorities are conducting an investigation to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the tragic end of the elderly woman.
Questions about the safety of social homes
The incident once again brings to the fore the question of safety systems and control in homes for the elderly in the country. Local residents and relatives of the evacuees are watching the developments with concern, while official authorities continue their work to clarify all the facts that led to this unexpected and devastating tragedy.