"Many of the victims were found inside their rooms" "Evacuation of 12 people unharmed and their transfer to a local hospital"

A massive fire that broke out on Sunday evening at a nursing home on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, claimed the lives of more than 16 people and injured three others with burns, according to local officials.

Jimi Rutinsulo, head of the local Fire and Rescue Agency, told AFP that firefighters received the report at 8:31 p.m. (12:31 GMT) at the nursing home in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, adding that the fire was brought under control after about an hour.

Rutinsulo noted that many of the victims were found inside their rooms, as most of them were likely resting when the fire broke out, leaving them unable to escape. He added that authorities were able to evacuate 12 unharmed people and transfer them to a local hospital for necessary care.

Footage broadcast by local Metro TV showed the flames engulfing the home, while local residents helped evacuate elderly people from the fire, in a heartbreaking scene that reflected the suffering and fear experienced by the residents.

This tragic incident highlights the vulnerability of nursing facilities in the region and leaves the local community in deep shock and sorrow over the lives lost in this devastating fire.