A powerful fire engulfed a hotel on the Lungomare promenade in Vlora in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving seven people injured.
The incident occurred at around 04:00. The flames are suspected to have started on the first floor of the building, where a bar-restaurant was located, and have spread rapidly throughout the premises of the entire building. The fire then reached the second floor, where the hotel rooms were located.
The seven people who were in the hotel attempted to leave the building. Some of them, in an attempt to escape the flames, were forced to jump from balconies. As a result, they suffered fractures, while others received burns to various parts of their bodies.
One of the girls suffered multiple burns to her body. After receiving first aid at the Vlora Hospital, the injured were transported to Tirana for more specialized treatment, at the Trauma Hospital and the burn unit.
As reported by Top Channel journalist Mikel Marsi, the fire is suspected to have started in the bar-restaurant premises, from a three-pronged socket where two refrigerators were connected. It is believed that an electrical overload caused the flames, which then spread rapidly throughout the bar and the hotel floor.
The injured are mainly young people, around the age of 20 to 25. They had been vacationing in Vlora for several days and were staying at this hotel.
One of the young men, Luan Saliu from Lipjan, who was forced to jump from the balcony with his wife, has described the moments of panic and the attempt to escape the flames. Meanwhile, the investigation team continues to work to determine the exact causes of the fire and the circumstances of the incident.