Eight dead in Belgrade nursing home fire

A tragic fire at a nursing home in Belgrade's Barajevo suburb early Monday morning claimed the lives of eight people, with authorities suspecting criminal activity as the cause.

"Emergency services reacted quickly and efficiently, but the fire had already spread extensively. Unfortunately, eight lives were lost," said Nemanja Starovic, minister for Labor, Employment, Veterans, and Social Affairs, News.az reports, citing foreign media.

Rescuers safely evacuated 13 people from the burning building, while seven sustained injuries and received medical care.

Starovic stated that initial findings point to the possibility of a criminal act. "The investigation is ongoing, and I expect the prosecution to provide official information later today," he added.

The fire erupted at approximately 3:30 a.m. (0230 GMT), with media outlets reporting that around 30 residents were in the building at the time.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze after deploying many personnel and vehicles, while emergency medical teams provided on-site assistance.

News.Az