A fire in a French holiday home for adults with disabilities left 11 dead

A devastating fire broke out at a vacation home for adults with disabilities in eastern France on Wednesday, killing 11 people, an official said.

Eleven people who were sleeping upstairs and in a mezzanine of a private residence in the town of Wintzenheim were trapped by the fire, while five managed to escape, said Nathalie Kilwasser, deputy public prosecutor in Colmar.

She said that 12 people who were staying on the ground floor were able to evacuate.

She said the adults, who had “minor intellectual disabilities”, were on vacation sponsored by two professional societies.

She added that investigations are underway to determine the circumstances of the fire and whether the building meets all required safety standards.

Authorities said one of the survivors was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne arrived at the scene on Wednesday afternoon. She said she wanted to show the government’s support for the families of the victims and the fire and rescue workers on the scene.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Hoyler, who was leading the firefighters’ rescue work, said the fire likely started on the upper floor of the house.

The ground floor was built of stone and the upper part of the building was built entirely of wood in the traditional style of the area, which may partly explain why the fire spread so quickly.

The local administration of the Haut-Rhin region said the fire broke out at 6:30 a.m. Christophe Marot, general secretary of the local administration, told France Info news anchor that 10 disabled people and a person accompanying the group were believed to be among the dead.

A statement from the Haut-Rhin prefecture said many of the visitors came from the eastern French city of Nancy.

No other information about the victims was provided.

The fire department deployed 76 firefighters, four fire engines and four ambulances to contain the fire and treat the victims. Forty police officers were also mobilized. The fire was brought under control on Wednesday morning.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter: “In the face of this tragedy, my thoughts are with the victims, the injured and their families. Thank you to our security forces and emergency services.”

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Associated Press writer Youssef Bounab contributed to this story.