Fire in a Gers nursing home, three victims in critical condition among the 17 injured

A fire broke out on the ground floor of a retirement home near Toulouse during the night of Sunday 3 to Monday 4 August, injuring 17 people, around ten of whom had to be evacuated, firefighters said.

Poisoned by the significant smoke coming out of this nursing home in Isle-Jourdain (Gers), three victims in critical condition - two 85-year-old men and an 86-year-old woman - had to be evacuated to the Purpan hospital in Toulouse.

Some 70 firefighters and 25 emergency vehicles were mobilized shortly before 3 a.m. to respond to this disaster, which was caused by a mattress fire and generated "a lot of smoke on the upper floors," said a spokesperson for the Gers Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS).

In total, 81 people were in the facility, including 75 residents and 6 employees.

"The establishment will not be usable at first given the damage caused by the smoke from the fire," warned the SDIS.