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21 people were killed in a fire on Sunday night at a hostel for homeless families in Kamien, in northwest Poland. Six of the dead were children and another 20 people were injured, many having jumped out of windows while escaping.
Eyewitnesses saw large flames were seen shooting up from the three-storey building high into the sky. About 80% of the building was in flames when the first firefighters – stationed just 200m away – arrived a couple of minutes after receiving the alert. It eventually took 21 fire crews to extinguish the flames.
At least 77 people were registered at the hostel. A national fire service spokesman told BBC News that it was not immediately clear what type of, if any, fire alarm was installed in the hostel, though it was unlikely to be an automatic detection system. The hostel was built in the early 1970s as a workers’ hotel. Ownership of the building was transferred to the local authorities a few years ago.
Both President Lech Kaczynski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk have openly questioned whether the hostel was safe and complied with fire regulations. There have been various other claims of regulations not being adhered to or missing or sub-standard equipment.
The Polish government has ordered checks on temporary accommodation throughout the country. A preliminary report into the fire is due today. Three days of national mourning began on Monday.