11 people killed in fire at vacation home for individuals with mental disabilities in France

The home was housing individuals with mental disabilities along with members of a charitable association.

The fire was reported at 6:33 a.m. and firefighters arrived on the scene 14 minutes later. They found that 17 people had managed to evacuate, but 11 people were still trapped inside.

The flames were so intense that it is believed that those still inside had already succumbed to the fire before the firefighters arrived.

The establishment was 500 square meters (approximately 5,400 square feet) and had been providing accommodations for individuals with mild mental disabilities during the summer vacation period.

The structure itself comprised two rental homes, one situated on the ground floor and the other on the floor above. All occupants on the ground floor managed to escape the flames, while only five out of the 16 individuals staying on the first floor were able to evacuate.

The circumstances surrounding why some were trapped by the fire remain uncertain. Authorities have not disclosed the names of the victims or the cause of the fire.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Minister of Solidarity and Families Aurore Berge visited the scene of the fire on Wednesday. Prime Minister Borne expressed her condolences to the victims and their families, saying, "It's undeniably a horrific tragedy."

The fire is the latest in a series of deadly fires in France in recent years. In 2019, a fire at a retirement home in the city of Rouen killed 18 people. And in 2017, a fire at a music venue in the city of Paris killed 100 people.

The government has pledged to investigate the fire in Wintzenheim and to take steps to prevent future tragedies. (ILKHA)