Escape room blaze claims lives of 5 teens in Poland

A blaze in an escape room here has claimed the lives of five 15-year-old girls, who were celebrating their friend's birthday on Friday (local time).

"A devastating tragedy in Koszalin. The five joyful girls entering life have been torn out of life. May God take care of their parents and loved ones. RiP," Polish President Andrzej Duda tweeted in the wake of the tragedy.

Meanwhile, Koszalin Mayor Piotr Jedlinksi declared January 6 as a day of mourning.

"We join the families of the victims in their grief. The fire broke out at 5 in the afternoon in one of the escape rooms in Koszalin. There have been five victims, five young victims. We have provided psychological, psychiatric care to the families," CNN quoted Jedlinksi as saying.

The Polish fire brigades chief commander, General Leszek Suski, directed fire safety inspections at all game centres, clubs and escape rooms.

"General Leszek Suski has issued a decision that from tomorrow all escape rooms, game centres and clubs will undergo fire safety inspections with special attention paid to evacuation plans, escape routes in these type of locations," Tomasz Kubiak, a fire brigade officer in Koszalin said.

Investigations are underway into the incident to ascertain the cause of the blaze.