Sixteen people have been killed and three left injured after a fire tore through a nursing home for elderly residents in northern Indonesia, local authorities say, BBC reported. 

The fire department was alerted to a fire at Damai retirement home in the city of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, on Sunday night at around 20:30 local time (12:30 GMT).

Many victims were found inside their rooms, the city's fire and rescue agency chief Jimmy Rotinsulu told news agency AFP, adding that they were likely elderly residents who were resting for the evening when the fire broke out, according to BBC.