Fire at Mississippi senior living facility kills two residents
A fire destroyed part of an assisted living facility in Clinton, Mississippi, home to more than 100 residents. Two residents, both aged 82, died and at least four were taken to hospital.
A fire has destroyed part of a senior living centre, Brookdale Clinton, in the US state of Mississippi. The facility housed more than 100 elderly residents who need assistance with daily living. Two residents died in the blaze, "The Washington Post" reports. Authorities announced the deaths on Thursday.
Victims and evacuation
Hinds County coroner Jeramiah Howard confirmed that the dead are an 82-year-old man and an 82-year-old woman. Clinton fire chief Levius Buckley said staff at the facility led about 85 residents to safety, while firefighters helped evacuate another 10 to 15 people. At least four people were taken to hospitals.
The rescued residents were bused to a church. On Wednesday a crowd gathered outside it, apparently made up of residents' relatives and loved ones. According to Purdy, by Thursday all surviving residents were staying with relatives or in other facilities. He also expressed sorrow over the deaths of two residents.
Damage and investigation
Fighting the fire took about three hours, and firefighters remained at the scene until the early morning hours. Part of the building was destroyed. Several wings still stand but will be uninhabitable for some time, Buckley said. He added that the building's sprinkler system was working at the time of the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
