The two people killed were discovered during the final stage of rescue work, a spokesperson for the emergency services said on Thursday.

The fire broke out for an unknown reason on Wednesday at the facility in Roztoky, north of Prague.

Two residents were in a critical condition, two others sustained moderate injuries and 51 others were only mildly injured. The patients were distributed to surrounding hospitals.

The staff of the facility were able to get to safety, emergency services said. The mayor of the city, Jan Jakob, referred to the incident as a “major catastrophe”.

Rescue operation

Photos showed flames coming from the attic of the building. The residents had to be rescued from their rooms through windows using ladders. Several were bedridden or not mobile.

Rescue forces were on the scene with a large contingent, including two helicopters and a large-capacity ambulance.

About 100 firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, which took more than eight hours to bring under control. Water was pumped from the nearby Vltava river.

According to its website, the nursing home specialises in the care of dementia patients, including those with Alzheimer’s disease.

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