Five teenage girls were killed, and one man was injured in a fire that broke out in an "escape room" venue in northern Poland, authorities explained Saturday.
The 15-year-old girls were reportedly celebrating one of their birthdays in the town of Koszalin when the fire encircled the venue at around 5 PM. Local firefighters revealed that the incident was likely the result of faulty electrical wiring in addition to a lack of security. Leszek Suski, Poland's firefighting chief, explained that the wiring was in dangerously close proximity to flammable materials. “Security was not ensured and that led to the tragedy,” she said.
Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski has reportedly issued fire safety tests at other similar venues. The president also shared his condolences on Saturday, calling the incident a "crushing tragedy."
The girls' bodies were reportedly found once local firefighters had extinguished the blaze. Tomasz Kubiak, a spokesperson for regional firefighters, noted that their bodies were found in a room near the fire but not directly in its trail. In addition to the deceased, an injured 25-year-old man was taken to the hospital for severe burns.
Originating in Japan, "escape rooms" have become increasingly popular around the world. The premise is an in-person simulated adventure where players are made to feel endangered. Participants are typically locked inside a room and asked to complete puzzles and complicated tasks under fabricated pressures to exit. There are reportedly over 1,000 similar venues across Poland.
