Fire kills six at retirement home in southern France

Fire kills six at retirement home in southern France

2011-12-15 03:40:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

MARSEILLE, FRANCE (BNO NEWS) -- Six people were killed on early Wednesday morning when a large fire broke out at a retirement home in southern France, local authorities said. Several others were injured.

The fire broke out at around 2.30 a.m. local time at the private retirement home 'Les Anemones', which houses 180 residents in the southern city of Marseille. Local councilor Robert Assante told Radio France Internationale (RFI) that the fire began when one of the residents used a lighter to try to open a candy bag.

The resulting fire quickly spread throughout the corridor where the man's room was located, generating a large amount of smoke. A total of 28 fire engines and more than 80 firefighters rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents.

Marseille deputy prosecutor Christophe Barret confirmed six people had been killed, while 13 others were hospitalized in serious conditions after inhaling smoke. Barret said the fatal victims were all women who were unable to move on their own to escape the fire.

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