Six days have passed since the unprecedented tragedy at the Tuzla Retirement Home. Although all activities have returned to normal, it will take time for emotions to calm down. The initial shock and disbelief that the people housed in the Home were dealing with are passing, but the sadness remains. They have expert teams at their disposal to help them overcome the consequences of the fire.
Life in the Retirement Home a few days after the fire seems normal at first glance. The people housed in this institution are slowly returning to their regular activities. However, they are still haunted by the scenes they witnessed. They say that the hardest thing was watching that night and not being able to help.
“There was no fear then, if I could run, I would run to help. And whatever we could do, I watched, everyone came,” recalls Džemila Mahmuzić, a resident of the home.
“I looked and felt sorry for those people, especially when they started bringing out the stretchers. I didn’t know if there were living people on them or stretchers from those I knew”, says resident of the home Esad Zukić.
“My son came to pick me up, I didn’t know that our chef was standing behind me, I said: I won’t, because you’re taking me home where you, my wife, grandchildren, and daughter are, and I’m leaving my Ljuba alone, so I’m leaving Luca, whose husband almost died,” says resident Džemila Mahmuzić.
They knew people who lost their lives as a result of the fire, some of them were close to them.
“I brought him figs, apples, tangerines… I didn’t know that his room was on fire, I think he was burned, that broke me in the end,” Dzemila adds.
“Unfortunately, he died. Yesterday was his funeral. I asked God to give him what can be given in the other world,” says resident of the home Esad Zukić.
They are grateful to everyone who helped in the rescue. They say that there were also many people waiting on the street ready to help. Everyone did everything they could at that moment. Life is not easy after all. Both the people who are accommodated in the Retirement Home, but also the employees, are under great stress after the tragedy that occurred. Psychological help is available to everyone to help them overcome the trauma they have experienced.
“In the day center, the pensioners who are mobile will be able to go down, and they will also go up the floors. And we, the workers, the social workers and everyone in general, comfort the pensioners, conduct conversations with them because they are under the greatest stress,” says Alan Turčinović, an occupational therapist at the Social Service of the Retirement Home Tuzla.
Regular visits from family and friends have been allowed again, the restaurant is starting to operate normally. The ambulance on the sixth floor has also been restored. Also, the people who had to be moved to lower floors due to the fire have returned to their rooms. Everything else will take time, Federalna writes.
