Fire in Italy: 6 Dead and 81 Injured

Italian news agencies reported today, Friday, that "6 people have died and more than 80 have been injured due to a fire that broke out in a nursing home in Milan." The "ANSA" news agency stated that "the fire erupted yesterday, Thursday, and fire crews are still on site." Another news agency, "AGI," quoted local emergency services saying that "81 individuals were transported to hospitals, including 2 in critical condition." In this context, the spokesperson for the national fire service, Luca Cari, and the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, confirmed that "the fire has been extinguished." They mentioned that "2 residents burned to death in their rooms, while 4 others died from inhaling toxic fumes." Sala added, "The situation could have been worse; however, the death of 6 people is truly a significant number," noting that "the building housed 167 individuals." Luca Cari ruled out the possibility of arson. Local fire chief Nicola Micheli told public broadcasting that "firefighters evacuated nearly 80 people, many of whom were in wheelchairs, while around 80 others were taken to hospitals." He described the rescue operation as "extremely complicated" due to the thick smoke that obscured visibility and because many of the residents could not move without assistance.