Sarajevo | A fire at a boarding house for retirees in the northeastern Bosnian town of Tuzla killed several people on Tuesday, an official and Bosnian media said.

The Dnevni Avaz daily reported that at least 10 people were killed after the fire erupted on one of the higher floors of the building. The same source said that at least 20 people have been hospitalised so far but that many more are likely injured.

Cantonal leader Irfan Halilagic confirmed in a comment to Daily Avaz that there have been fatalities but did not specify how many people died.

Halilagic added that “we are now looking where to accommodate the residents".

The newspaper and other Bosnia media outlets cited police sources in reporting on the deadly fire, but police have not publicly confirmed the details yet.

Ruza Kajic, who lives on the third floor, said she had gone to bed when she heard “popping sounds" and saw flames falling from upper floors.

“Everything started breaking, I don't know if my windows are in one piece. I rushed out," Kajic told Avaz TV.

Media images from the scene showed a blaze on one of the facility's floors. Firefighters evacuated the building as they contained the blaze.