A fire erupted around 3:00 PM today in a senior care home located in the center of Bankya, Bulgaria, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. The blaze engulfed an entire floor of the building, sending thick smoke billowing over the city. Emergency services, including three fire brigade teams, responded to the scene promptly.

The Center for Emergency Medical Assistance in Sofia confirmed that a charred body was found at the location, marking the death of one resident. Additionally, two women were affected by smoke inhalation but were examined on site and did not require hospitalization. A man with burns was transported to the "Pirogov" hospital, where he was admitted to the Burns department with 5 percent burns and smoke inhalation. The fire was initially reported at 2:49 PM.

By 6:00 p.m., the situation at the fire site had calmed down. The fire was completely extinguished, and the fire brigades had left the scene, though police cars remained as authorities continued to assess the situation.

The aftermath of the fire was visible on the facade of the three-story building in the center of Bankya, where the blaze had originated. The third floor was still filled with smoke. A pizzeria occupies the ground floor of the building, and according to witnesses, it was the quick actions of the pizzeria staff that helped evacuate people from the building swiftly.

Antoine, one of the employees who assisted in the evacuation, described for BNR the response: "Everything happened very quickly, probably in less than five minutes the fire department was here." He added, "We assisted, of course, along with others who work in the building." He noted that the elderly residents of the home understood the situation and were evacuated in time without any major issues.

Rangel Markov, the mayor of Bankya, told BNR that the facility is privately owned and not affiliated with the municipality or the state. "This home is in a private house; it’s neither municipal nor state-owned. I can't say more; they are licensed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, and we have no further information," he explained. Markov also mentioned that the fire was extinguished quickly, with the firefighters arriving within a few minutes. He added that the deceased individual was an elderly, immobile man.

However, Veselin Kozhuharov, the executive director of the Agency for Social Assistance, revealed that the home was operating illegally without a proper license. He confirmed that an accident had occurred at the facility, resulting in the death of one resident and injuries to others. The Agency has arranged for the relocation of three of the surviving residents to licensed homes for the elderly in Sofia later that evening. "The home is absolutely illegal, it is not licensed. You should inquire with the Agency for the Quality of Social Services for more details," Kozhuharov stated.

Kozhuharov also mentioned that in June, the Agency for the Quality of Social Services conducted an inspection of the facility. Due to a lack of cooperation, the inspection required assistance from the SDIA (Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs). The inspection found that 11 individuals with health problems were living in the facility. The Agency immediately alerted all relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office, about the illegal operation of the facility, which does not qualify as a social service under the law. However, the Agency does not have the authority to shut down operations of companies that operate without a license.

Following the fire, the three surviving women will be relocated to two different homes for the elderly. The Ministry of Social Affairs emphasized that to ensure the quality of social services, private providers are required to be licensed. A list of licensed providers is available on the website of the Agency for the Quality of Social Services.

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