The Associated Press
MELLE, Belgium — A fire raged through a retirement home close to Brussels late Thursday, leaving nine people dead and three more in critical condition, officials said.
The fire broke out around 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) Thursday and quickly sent black smoke through the sprawling facility where some 100 retirees receive care. Most of the victims died of asphyxiation, officials in the city of Melle said.
Apart from the nine victims and three elderly in critical condition, some 30 people were treated for breathing difficulties after they escaped the blaze, said provincial governor Andre Denys.
The cause of the fire was likely accidental, possibly from overheated equipment in the building, fire officials said.
Police said they were still investigating the cause before a definitive reason could be given. The fire spread quickly and people rushed in from the nearby streets to help some of the elderly to safety, witnesses said.
When emergency crews arrived, they had to treat many on the lawn outside. The local fire department called in help from the nearby city of Ghent to handle the blaze.
Melle, a city of about 10,000 people, is about 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Brussels.