19th anniversary of the tragedy at the Bjelave Children's Home marked: 'The pain still hasn't subsided'

(Patria) - By laying flowers at the memorial and the graves of six babies at the Vlakovo city cemetery, the 19th anniversary of the tragic death of the youngest residents of the Bjelave Children's Home who died in a fire was marked today.



On this day, April 22, 2007, Medina Bostandžija, Al’dina-Dalal Akmadžić, Amin Čustović, Džemal Šabanović, Faik Krasnići, and Damir Pejanović lost their lives, while 18 children sustained serious and minor injuries.

The director of the Public Institution "Home for Children without Parental Care" Muhamed Musić emphasized that, despite numerous improvements in the institution's work, the pain caused by this tragedy still hasn't subsided.



- I hope such an event will never happen again - said Musić.

He added that the living conditions in the home have been significantly improved today, especially in terms of fire protection, but also through the process of transforming the institution and relieving the Bjelave facility, as children now also reside in smaller, family-style homes.



- We are doing everything to ensure such a tragedy never happens again - Musić stressed.

The head of the children's shelter, Elmira Pejčinović, said that painful memories of this great tragedy return every April 22.



- The call in the early morning hours to come to our workplaces and the scenes we encountered then are deeply etched in our memories. It is something we will not forget for the rest of our lives - Pejčinović stated.