On Tuesday, December 26, 2023, a massive fire engulfed a guesthouse in the village of Tohani, Prahova County, Romania, resulting in the death of seven people, including at least two children.
The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations reported that the guesthouse was housing 26 people when the fire broke out.
Emergency intervention teams were dispatched to the scene in the early hours of Tuesday. The ferocity of the blaze prompted the setting up of search and rescue teams, as at first, there were five people reported missing.
It is uncertain how many people are still missing however authorities confirmed that at least 18 people escaped the fire and two of them were being treated at the local hospital for burns.
Emergency officials extinguished the fire around 12:45 pm on the same day, while the search and rescue operations mission continued.
The fire ravaged an area of approximately 10,800 square feet. Images shared by the emergency authorities depicted a nearly hollowed-out structure, overtaken by the flames, as firefighters endeavored to control the situation.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, with no clear indications as to what might have sparked this calamity.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
