One Iranian among 11 fire victims in Georgia

Along with the Iranian, 10 Georgian citizens were also killed in the fire, said the statement issued by the Georgian Interior Ministry on November 25 night.

According to the statement on November 24, the emergency services were notified of the blaze at 20:01 local time and arrived at the scene in three minutes.

“Thirteen rescue and firefighting vehicles and approximately 100 firefighters were deployed to the area,” the Ministry said in its second statement, adding that the Interior and the Deputy Health Ministers - Giorgi Gakharia and Zaza Sopromadze, respectively - were on their way to Batumi.

Civil Georgia website quoted Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia as saying the fire may have started on the 4th floor of the building.

‘Unfortunately, the only stair-case was filled with smoke and the people were left stranded on the 7th floor,’ Gakharia noted, adding that the firefighters had to use rescue cranes to evacuate the visitors from the building. The evacuation was announced over at about 00:55 a.m.

Minister of Healthcare and Social Protection in Adjara’s regional government Zaal Mikeladze said that 21 people were hospitalized with signs of smoke inhalations.

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili expressed condolences to the families and friends of those deceased in the fire in Batumi, and called it “a tragedy”. He added the investigation was underway and “everyone responsible for this tragedy will be held accountable.