The director of the nursing home Kārlis Volanskis said that the fire alarm had sounded at around 4:10. The staff went to the possible site and identified smoke and fire in one room.
The State Fire and Rescue Service and the Emergency Medical Service were called. Residents of adjacent rooms were evacuated.
One person died in the fire. Initial information shows that the fire could have occurred due to the resident smoking in the bed, said Talsi municipality.
Volanskis said that bed linen and mattresses were synthetic material, so the fire spread quickly, causing a lot of smoke.
"The rules [..], categorically prohibit smoking in bed. Nursing staff went on rounds at 2:00 during which the occupant was in bed and watching television, there was no indication of the possible disaster," Volanskis said.
Medical staff are currently monitoring the state of health of other residents of the “Lauciene” nursing home.
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the fire.
