As the investigation into the fire in the hostel north west Poland continues, it has been revealed that there were no fire alarm sensors in the building where at least 21 people died on Sunday night.

The fire at the homeless family shelter in Kamien Pomorski, north western Poland, broke out in the hall of the building.  

Tenants  - mainly poor families  - could not escape the fire through the staircase because it was in flames. “The fire started in the hall and then spread in the whole building”, said Grzegorz Schetyna, the Minister of Interior and Administration on Radio Zet. That is why there were so many victims of the fire.  

Two years ago there were fire sensors in the building, reports  RMF FM. They were removed when the local authorities turned the building into a hostel. It was not clear who should manage the alarm system. 

Death toll

Over a half of the victims of the fire were children, from three to sixteen years old. The bodies are being identified but, as the Minister of Interior and Administration said, it will take two to three weeks to establish the identity of the victims on the basis of DNA tests. 

Police are still searching for 16-years-old Magda, who managed to escape the fire but has gone missing, writes Super Express. Eye witnesses report she jumped from the window and was taken to hospital. Yet nobody has seen here there.

Some witnesses claim that she returned to the hostel to rescue her mother, two sisters and brother, who lost their lives in flames. (mg/pg)

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At least 21 die in fire, north western Poland, thenews.pl, April 13

One million zloty aid for fire victims, thenews.pl, April 14

Two people still missing in fire, thenews.pl, April 14

Poland in mourning after fire kills 21, thenews.pl, April 14