STORY: Drone and ground footage showed heavy damage to a home for the elderly in the town of Tuzla in northern Bosnia after an overnight fire that broke out late on Tuesday evening (November 4).

11 people died and several were injured, Bosnian media reported.

The fire broke out around 9 p.m. (2000 GMT) and was put out around 10 p.m., Federalna TV reported on its website. The cause of the fire was not known, it said.

"The situation was very difficult because these are extremely critical and challenging fires, involving immobile and barely mobile individuals, as well as the need to conduct both evacuation and rescue simultaneously,” the deputy commander of the local firefighters, Jasmin Habul told Reuters.

A spokesperson for the University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Ersija Aščerić Mujedinović, confirmed that several patients were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, tuzlanski.ba portal reported.

“I don’t know how many firefighters or police officers were there. I just saw a huge flame and smoke. The elderly, helpless people were outside, outdoors," local resident Admir Vojkic said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: VARIOUS OF AFTERMATH OF FIRE IN ELDERLY PEOPLE'S HOME IN BOSNIA/ COMMENTS FROM DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AND RESIDENT

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: TUZLA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (NOVEMBER 4, 2025) (REUTERS-Access all)

1. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING DAMAGED HOME FOR ELDERLY BUILDING

2. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF BUILDING

3. POLICE OFFICERS IN FRONT OF BUILDING

4. DAMAGED BUILDING

5. VARIOUS OF FORENSIC OFFICERS AT SCENE

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Bosnian) DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, JASMIN HABUL, SAYING:

“The alert came in at 8:45 PM. We received information that a building was on fire—specifically, a retirement home where elderly and frail residents are housed. The first two teams were dispatched to the scene and saw that the fire was on the top floor. They began rescue and firefighting operations, and soon our other teams arrived as well. In total, six of our fire engines responded to the blaze, and the Tuzla Volunteer Association soon joined them.”

7. POLICE OFFICERS AT SCENE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Bosnian) DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, JASMIN HABUL, SAYING:

"The situation was very difficult because, as they say, these are extremely critical and challenging fires, involving immobile and barely mobile individuals, as well as the need to conduct both evacuation and rescue simultaneously.”

9. POLICE OFFICERS AND FORENSIC OFFICERS AT SCENE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Bosnian) DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, JASMIN HABUL, SAYING:

“According to some preliminary information I have heard—nothing official—10 people have died, and I can’t say how many were injured. I only know that five of our members from the professional fire brigade requested medical assistance and are currently at the clinic for pulmonary diseases.”

11. VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDING FROM FIRE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Bosnian) RESIDENT, ADMIR VOJKIC, SAYING:

“I don’t know how many firefighters or police officers were there. I just saw a huge flame and smoke. The elderly, helpless people were outside, outdoors. I have no words, really, I have no words.”

13. PEOPLE ENTERING HOME FOR THE ELDERLY

14. VARIOUS OF WORKERS SEEN BEHIND WINDOW

15. AMBULANCE PARKED OUTSIDE BUILDING

16. POLICE OFFICER AT SCENE

17. POLICE OFFICER AND ELDERLY PERSON LEAVING BUILDING

18. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SPEAKING WITH POLICE OFFICERS