JAKARTA – Indonesian police are conducting identification procedures for 16 people killed in a fire that broke out at a nursing home in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, local authorities said on Monday.
The victims’ bodies are being identified at Bhayangkara Hospital of the North Sulawesi Regional Police (Polda Sulut), according to Alamsyah P. Hasibuan, head of public relations of Polda Sulut. He said the identification process is aimed at establishing the victims’ full identities before further coordination with their families.
According to him, the fire occurred at around 8:36 pm local time on Sunday at the Panti Werdha Damai nursing home, located in Ranomuut Sub-district, Paal Dua District, Manado. The blaze was extinguished at about 9:30 pm after three fire engines dispatched by the Manado city government arrived at the scene.
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Following reports of the fire, police officers moved quickly to secure the area and assist with rescue operations. Survivors were evacuated to Manado City Regional Hospital and Permata Bunda Hospital, while the deceased were transferred for further handling.
Police forensic teams have launched an investigation, including a crime scene examination and witness interviews, to determine the sequence of events and the preliminary cause of the fire, Hasibuan said.
