Fire kills 16 people in Indonesian retirement home

Indonesia fire crews
A deadly fire ‌at a retirement home in Indonesia has ‍been extinguished, officials say (file). -AP

A fire at a retirement home in ⁠the city of Manado on Indonesia's Sulawesi island has killed 16 people.

The fire at the ‌Werdha Damai ​retirement home was ablaze late on Sunday ‍and authorities were still investigating its cause, Manado police chief Irham Halid said at a media conference on Monday.

Footage by news channel Metro TV ​showed the fire blazing through ‌the home, turning the night sky orange, with residents appearing ​to help one elderly person escape ‍from the burning building.

On Monday, the destroyed remnants of the home were filled with ​debris, ​a Reuters ​witness said.

Olva Sumual, the ​home's caretaker, said its residents were the elderly, and about 30 people had been in the complex.

Authorities said the fire was extinguished late on Sunday.