Rabat – A young Moroccan man was among the two victims of a fire that broke out at a disused warehouse in Trieste, Italy.
The city is where migrants arriving through the Balkan route sought shelter, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the upper floors, where the bodies of two young people, a man and a woman, were found.
“They are believed to have died from smoke inhalation or damage to their respiratory tracts caused by hot gases,” the report added.
Security services identified the victims as Italian and Moroccan nationals, who were found in Warehouse 18, which serves as a shelter for migrants arriving via the Balna route.
Initial reports did not rule out that some migrants were inside the building when the fire broke out. The two victims who died are believed to have become trapped and did not manage to escape the fire.
“The cause of the fire remains unclear,” the report said.
Firefighting arrived at the site on Monday, with forensic investigators and medical examiners.
Authorities held a coordination meeting focused on the security measures to monitor the area.
The deaths of the two victims, however, sparked controversy, the report acknowledged, with local activists describing the incidents as “an announced tragedy.”
Democratic Party Senator Tatjana Roc also said the deaths could have been prevented, while Barcelona president Mitja Cialuz said Trieste and its residents can no longer “accept incidents like this.”
Some other activists and politicians, however, condemned those who exploit similar tragedies to spark controversies and political divisions in the wake of the tragic loss of human lives.
