Fire at elderly home claims seven lives, resident charged with arson

AMMAN — A man, who is a resident of an elderly retirement home in Amman where seven people died in a fire early Friday, was charged on Saturday with arson resulting in fatalities, according to official sources.

The suspect was also charged with misdemeanour causing injury related to the fire that broke out on the first floor of the White Beds Society Guest House for the Elderly in the Jweideh area, according to a senior official.

The suspect was ordered detained for 15 days pending further investigations into the incident that left 60 injured.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Friday resulting in the death of six residents due to smoke inhalation, Police Spokesperson Lt. Amer Sartawi said.

“Civil Defence Department (CDD) fire engines and ambulances arrived within eight minutes and were able to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to the floors,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

All 111 residents were evacuated by CDD rescue teams, Sartawi added.

“Sixty of the 111 residents were transported to hospitals for treatment while the remaining inhabitants were relocated to alternative shelters by the Ministry of Social Development,” Sartawi added.

Initial investigations indicated that “the fire was allegedly started by one of the residents,” according to Sartawi.

The investigations also revealed that the fire extinguishing system that was installed at the guest house, which was established in 1979, was working properly at the time of the fire, Sartawi stated.

A seventh resident died on Saturday, according to Ministry of Health officials.

Meanwhile, the health officials said that 11 individuals remain in the Intensive Care Units at Al Bashir, Totanji and Zarqa Hospitals, according to Petra,

Investigations are ongoing by the relevant authorities, according to Sartawi.

Under directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, Royal Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Petra reported that he checked on the injured in Bashir and Totanji Hospitals on Friday.

Issawi conveyed King Abdullah’s wishes for a speedy recovery, according to Petra.

Earlier in the day, Issawi visited the site of the fire, and based on Royal directives, the Royal Court chief stressed that “a comprehensive maintenance and rehabilitation operation of the facility will begin immediately”.

Also visiting the injured was Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, as well as the ministers of the interior, social development, government communication and other relevant officials.

Hassan directed the relevant officials to provide all necessary health and shelter needs for the rescued elderly and to follow up on their condition.