• Fire at Werdha Damai retirement home in Manado kills 16 elderly residents.
• Initial reports suggest an electrical fault may be the cause, but investigations are ongoing.
• Local residents assisted in evacuation efforts; three were injured in the blaze.
• This incident adds to the growing concern over fire safety in Indonesia.

A tragic fire at the Werdha Damai retirement home in Manado, Indonesia, has resulted in the deaths of 16 elderly residents. Many victims were found in their rooms, believed to be resting when the fire broke out, as reported by police officials and local fire department authorities. Emergency responders managed to evacuate several residents before the blaze engulfed the building, according to Al Jazeera, India Times, and South China Morning Post.

Firefighters took more than two hours to extinguish the blaze, which was reported shortly after 8 PM local time. Witnesses noted that the fire created a bright orange glow over the city, terrifying nearby residents. The causes of the fire are currently under investigation, although an initial report suggested an electrical fault might be responsible, as noted by local official Alamsyah Hasibuan and confirmed by multiple sources including BBC and Channel News Asia.

Accounts from local residents describe the harrowing scenes as they attempted to aid the victims, with some using makeshift tools to rescue those trapped inside. Emergency services confirmed that 15 individuals were hospitalized with injuries and that recovery efforts involving local authorities and police continue, emphasizing the need for enhanced fire safety protocols in such facilities, according to Al Jazeera, India Times, and South China Morning Post.