Fire kills 16 in Ukrainian retirement home

Sixteen people have been killed and 11 more injured in a fire at a nursing home in Ukraine. It took fire brigades five hours to extinguish the flames in the small village in the country's north-west. The blaze broke out early on Sunday.

The firemen managed to rescue 11 people who needed hospital treatment for severe smoke inhalation. Three persons, among them two members of the nursing home staff, are in intensive care.The blaze completely destroyed the roof of the building and much of its wooden construction. Police say it was not started deliberately, and the likely cause of the accident was recklessness. A special investigation commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social policy Sergey Tigipko has started an inquiry into the tragedy. Tigipko also announced the government will provide the injured with financial help. The Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov has expressed condolences to the families of those killed.