Fire in Milan retirement home kills 6 people, injures more than 60

An overnight fire in a retirement home in Milan killed six people and injured around 80, including three who are in critical condition, Italian authorities said on Friday.

The fire started in a first-floor room of the facility. It was put out quickly and did not spread to the rest of the building, yet produced a vast quantity of toxic fumes.

"It could have been (even) worse. Having said that, six dead is a very heavy death toll," Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala told reporters on the scene after indicating that the facility housed 167 people.

Firefighters' spokesman Luca Cari said the cause of the fire was under investigation, but added that it was likely accidental.

Firefighters intervened at the "Home of the Spouses" residential facility in the south-eastern Corvetto neighbourhood shortly after 1:00 am (2300 GMT).

They evacuated about 80 people, including many in wheelchairs, while another 80 or so were taken to hospital, local firefighters' chief Nicola Miceli told RAI public television.

He described rescue operations as "particularly complicated" due to heavy smoke, which limited visibility, and the fact that many residents could not stand without aid.