Twenty-nine migrants were injured in a fire that broke out early on Saturday at a migrant camp in the northwestern Bosnian town of Velika Kladusa.

Regional police spokesman Ale Siljdedic said the injured were taken to hospitals in Velika Kladusa and neighbouring Bihac following the fire at the Miral camp, which is used as temporary accommodation for about 500 migrants.

“Fire brigades are on the site and will soon put down the fire, when the investigation into the incident could start,” he told Reuters.

Videos posted on social media showed several people jumping in panic out of the former factory's windows.

About 25,000 people from Asia and North Africa entered Bosnia from Serbia and Montenegro last year, and about 6,000 have arrived in the impoverished Balkan country this year, according to Bosnia’s security agencies.

Only around 3,500 have been accommodated in transit centres, leaving thousands sleeping rough.

Most of the migrants are concentrated in Bihac and Velika Kladusa, where authorities say resources are overstretched. They have requested that the three transit centres there be closed and residents moved elsewhere.

Ethnically-divided Bosnia has not formed a government seven months after a general election. State institutions in charge of migration and asylum issues are operating in a care-taking capacity. </s> VELIKA KLADUSA, Bosnia (Reuters) - Twenty-nine migrants were injured in a fire that broke out early on Saturday at a center in the northwestern Bosnian town of Velika Kladusa, police said.

A burned migrant camp is seen in Velika Kladusa, Bosnia and Herzegovina June 1, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Regional police spokesman Ale Siljdedic said the injured were taken to hospitals in Velika Kladusa and neighboring Bihac following the fire at the Miral center, which is used as temporary accommodation for about 500 migrants.

The fire was put down during the course of the day but more than a hundred migrants were forced to stay outdoors braving rain and cold weather because the building’s upper floor was destroyed, a Reuters photographer said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire was underway, police said. Police spokesman Siljdedic told Reuters the fire was most likely caused by a heater as temperatures had fallen overnight.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which manages the camp, said in a statement that eight people remained in hospital, two of them with serious but not life threatening injuries.

Videos posted on social media showed several people jumping in panic out of the center’s windows.

Local doctors said that many of the injured suffered from limb fractures and only few of them from burns. IOM said its was ready to engage additional staff to put the building back into full use.

About 25,000 people from Asia and North Africa entered Bosnia from Serbia and Montenegro last year, and about 6,000 have arrived in the impoverished Balkan country this year, according to Bosnia’s security agencies.

Only around 3,500 have been accommodated in transit centers, leaving thousands sleeping rough.

Most of the migrants are concentrated in Bihac and Velika Kladusa, where authorities say resources are overstretched. They have requested that the three transit centers there, including Miral, be closed and residents moved elsewhere.

Ethnically-divided Bosnia has not formed a government seven months after a general election. State institutions in charge of migration and asylum issues are operating in a caretaking capacity. </s> Zagreb, 1 June 2019 (Hina/MIA) – About 30 people have been injured in a fire which broke out on Saturday morning in the reception centre for illegal migrants in Velika Kladusa, northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Una-Sana Canton police spokesman Ale Siljdedic said.

The fire broke out in a former factory which was repurposed last year for the temporary accommodation of migrants.

“It’s too early to say what caused the fire,” Siljdedic said, adding that at least 29 people who were in the centre were taken to hospitals in Velika Kladusa and Bihac.

Witnesses said they saw migrants jumping out of windows in a panic. Local media released video footage of the former factory encircled by thick smoke.

More than 6,000 illegal migrants have entered BiH this year and most of those who arrive in the country in an attempt to reach Croatia seek temporary accommodation in Velika Kladusa and Bihac. Local authorities have been warning for months that they can no longer handle the migrant flow and seek greater assistance from the state authorities and the international community. </s> At least 32 people were injured in a fire at a migrant center in northwestern Bosnia, police said.

 

 The blaze erupted early on June 1 at the center in Velika Kladusa, which accommodates some 500 migrants stuck in the Balkan country while trying to move toward Western Europe.

 

 The blaze likely started accidentally from a cooking device, said local police spokesman Ale Siljdedic.

 

 It spread swiftly, sending the migrants fleeing the building, with some jumping through the windows, Siljdedic told the Associated Press.

 

 Thirteen migrants remain hospitalized with injuries such as burns or fractures, he said.

 

 It took several hours to extinguish the blaze.

 

 Several thousand migrants fleeing war and poverty in their countries have been passing through Bosnia toward the West.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa </s> Bosnian police say a fire has engulfed a migrant center in the northwest of the country, injuring at least 29 people.

Police say the fire erupted early Saturday in the center located in Velika Kladusa, which hosts hundreds of migrants stuck in the Balkan country while trying to move toward Western Europe.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Local media aired video footages showing people jumping out through the windows amid thick gray smoke surging from the building.

Police say 29 migrants have been taken to nearby hospitals for checkup and treatment.

Several thousand migrants fleeing war and poverty in their countries have been passing through Bosnia toward the West. They mostly flock to the northwest that borders European Union member Croatia. </s> A fire on Saturday engulfed a migrant center in northwestern Bosnia, injuring 32 people, police said.

The blaze erupted early in the morning in the center in Velika Kladusa, which hosts some 500 migrants stuck in the Balkan country while trying to move toward Western

The blaze likely started accidently from a cooking device, said

It spread swiftly, sending the migrants fleeing the building, with some jumping through the windows, Siljdedic told

Thirteen migrants remain hospitalized with such as or fractures, he said. The fire was put out after several hours.

Several thousand migrants fleeing war and poverty in their have been passing through Bosnia toward the West. They mostly flock to the northwest that borders member </s> (AP) — A fire engulfed a migrant center in northwestern Bosnia on Saturday, injuring 32 people and forcing some to jump out the windows to escape the blaze, police said.

The blaze erupted early in the morning in the center in Velika Kladusa, which hosts some 500 migrants who have become stuck in the impoverished Balkan country while trying to move toward wealthier nations in Western Europe.

The blaze likely started accidently from a cooking device, said local police spokesman Ale Siljdedic.

It spread swiftly, sending the migrants fleeing the building, with some jumping to safety out the windows, Siljdedic told The Associated Press.

Thirteen migrants remain hospitalized with injuries such as burns or fractures, he said. The fire was put out after several hours.

Several thousand migrants fleeing war and poverty in their countries have been passing through Bosnia toward the West. They mostly flock to the northwest, which borders European Union member Croatia. </s> Bosnian police say a fire has engulfed a migrant center in the northwest of the country, leaving 29 people hurt either from burns or injuries after they jumped from windows to escape the flames.

Police say the fire erupted early Saturday in the center located in Velika Kladusa, which hosts hundreds of migrants stuck in the Balkan country while trying to move toward Western Europe.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Local media aired video footages showing people jumping out through the windows amid thick gray smoke surging from the building.

Police say 29 migrants have been taken to nearby hospitals for checkup and treatment.

"We know at this time that there are 29 wounded, but we don't know the extent of the injuries," ​said Ale Siljdedic, spokesman for the regional interior ministry.

Around 500 migrants were in the shelter at the time, he said. The fire may have been an accident as those sleeping tried to warm themselves against an unusually cold period, he said.

It was the second blaze in recent weeks to hit a place where migrants were staying in Bosnia.

Three weeks ago, three migrants died when a candle they were using set fire to the abandoned building they were in, according to Indira Kulenovic, a manager for Bosnia operations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Since early 2018 Bosnia has found itself on the "Balkans route" used by migrants seeking to enter EU countries. Around 3,500 migrants are housed in eight shelters, mostly in the northwest, close to the border with EU member Croatia. </s> SARAJEVO: A fire in a shelter for migrants in northwest Bosnia on Saturday left 29 people hurt either from burns or injuries after they jumped from windows to escape the flames, authorities said.

The blaze, whose cause was not yet known, broke out after dawn in the privately-run facility in the town of Velika Kladusa, said Ale Siljdedic, spokesman for the regional interior ministry.

"We know at this time that there are 29 wounded, but we don't know the extent of the injuries," he said.

Around 500 migrants were in the shelter at the time, he said. The fire may have been an accident as those sleeping tried to warm themselves against an unusually cold period, he said.

It was the second blaze in recent weeks to hit a place where migrants were staying in Bosnia.

Three weeks ago, three migrants died when a candle they were using set fire to the abandoned building they were in, according to Indira Kulenovic, a manager for Bosnia operations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Since early 2018 Bosnia has found itself on the "Balkans route" used by migrants seeking to enter EU countries. Around 3,500 migrants are housed in eight shelters, mostly in the northwest, close to the border with EU member Croatia.
Twenty-nine people are injured in a fire at a center used as temporary accommodation for about 500 migrants in the northwestern Bosnian town of Velika Kladusa.