Serbian law enforcement has arrested four employees from the Ministry of Labor and Employment in connection with a deadly fire at a nursing home in January that resulted in eight deaths.
The arrested officials are accused of allowing operations at the nursing home near Belgrade to continue despite failing to meet legal requirements.
Nenad Stefanovic, head of the Higher Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, stated that government inspectors, from January 2014 to December 2024, identified deficiencies in the nursing home’s operations but mistakenly concluded that the violations had been addressed.
The prosecutor’s office also revealed that by permitting poor-quality work at the facility, the suspects allowed the construction company to benefit by over 1.5 million dinars (12,800 euros), charging residents for services that did not meet standards.
In January, the Higher Prosecutor’s Office of Belgrade launched an investigation into three individuals, including the nursing home director, on suspicion of regulatory violations.
The fire, which occurred on January 20, resulted in eight fatalities and 13 injuries.
Serbian media previously reported that over 30 people were present at the facility during the fire—well above the number permitted by the facility’s license. Furthermore, no medical personnel were on duty that night, violating regulations.
