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Serbia arrests four officials for negligence in deadly retirement home fire

A damaged building after a fire at the 'Ivanovic' nursing home in Belgrade, Serbia, 20 January 2025. Eight people died in a nursing home after a fire broke out early 20 January 2025. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC via: PAP/EPA.
A damaged building after a fire at the 'Ivanovic' nursing home in Belgrade, Serbia, 20 January 2025. Eight people died in a nursing home after a fire broke out early 20 January 2025. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC via: PAP/EPA.
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Serbia has arrested four public officials for suspected negligence over a deadly fire at a retirement home which killed eight people and injured 13.

The tragedy happened in the early hours of January 20 this year in the village of Barajevo, close to the capital Belgrade

Chief prosecutor at Belgrade’s Public Prosecution Office, Nenad Stefanovic, said that the inspectors – who worked for the ministry of labor from January 2014 to December 2024 – had previously flagged up faulty renovation work on the home but soon after claimed that the shortcomings were fixed.

This, according to the prosecutor, was untrue.

“The head of the Department for Inspection Supervision is suspected of having acted negligently … even though she was aware that this could result in a serious violation of the rights of others,” he said.

This “eventually occurred when, on January 20, a fire broke out in that home due to the improper work of the responsible persons,” Stefanovic noted.

The press release issued by the Prosecution Office mentioned that the suspects permitted a repair company to charge the retirement facility’s guests €12,800 for faulty services.

According to local media reports, a resident of the facility started the fire with a cigarette lighter.

Independent media outlet Balkan Insight reported that patients frequently disobeyed the smoking ban at the facility and over 30 people were in the home when the fire broke out, which was more than the license for the facility allowed.

While most of the residents suffered from psychiatric diseases, local reports revealed that no medic was on duty that night.

Previously, on January 22, the Belgrade public prosecution office had detained three people working for the home for suspected non-compliance with regulations.
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