A fire at a hotel on Vlora’s Lungomare put the holidaymakers inside at risk, while eyewitness accounts from the scene speak of desperate exits and people jumping from upper floors to escape the flames. The preliminary toll shows several injured, while emergency services intervened after the situation had already caused panic.
Panic among holidaymakers at the hotel
The hotel was engulfed in flames in one of Vlora’s busiest areas, alarming the holidaymakers who were inside the building.
The incident has also raised questions about safety measures in such accommodation facilities, especially at the height of the tourist season, when capacities are full and the response must be immediate.
Testimony of the holidaymaker from Kosovo
A holidaymaker from Kosovo described harrowing moments during the fire, saying he jumped from the second floor to save himself.
According to his account, other families did the same amid fear and the spread of the flames inside the hotel.
Police and firefighters intervene
According to the official version, police and fire crews arrived at the scene and managed to bring the fire under control.
The causes of the fire have still not been made public, while fuller explanations are also lacking about how the evacuation of the holidaymakers was managed.
The injured were taken to hospital
As a result of the incident, seven people were taken to hospital.
Of them, three were transported to Tirana for more specialized assistance, showing that the consequences were not minor, despite authorities reporting that the flames had been contained.
The incident on the Lungomare brings renewed attention to safety standards in hotels and the emergency response in tourist areas, where any delay or lack of control can turn a holiday into a real danger to life.
So far, public information remains limited to the number of injured and the intervention after the fire broke out.