Horror blaze at France holiday home leaves 11 people ‘feared dead’

Firefighters battle fatal blaze at La Forge (Image: Getty) A fire has broken out at a holiday house in France that catered to people with learning difficulties, killing nine people with two more feared dead. Nearly 80 firemen were deployed to the La Forge fire after  the alarm was raised at 06:30 local time (05:30 BST) on Wednesday. According to information supplied by the AFP news agency, firefighters discovered nine bodies in the converted barn and had “little hope” of finding the others alive and well. The fire is believed to have started in a property run by a nonprofit that helps young people with disabilities. While seventeen individuals were safely removed from the premises, at least one was sent to a hospital. The specific cause of the fire is yet unknown. Devastating fire at French holiday home leaves eleven dead (Image: Getty) According to a statement from the Haut-Rhin regional administration, the 11 people were part of a group that originated in Nancy, which is also located in eastern France. The fire was tackled by four fire engines and a crew of 76 firemen, who were able to quickly put the incident under control despite its severity, according to the statement. According to AFP, the chief of the Bas-Rhin prefecture in eastern France confirmed that the people who are currently missing as a result of the fire are now classified as “potentially deceased.” Individuals on the ground floor were able to quickly flee the building, however others on the higher level had difficulty doing so, he said. French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his sympathies to the victims and their families, and thanked emergency personnel for their prompt response to the “tragic incident.” The French Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, and Families Minister, Aurore Bergé, are on their way to Wintzenheim to deal with the crisis. Images in local media show a mostly wooden cottage in La Forge engulfed in flames in the early hours of Wednesday.