All 10 elderly residents of an Uruguayan nursing home perished on Sunday due to an early-morning fire, with the sole caretaker being the only survivor, authorities reported. The blaze at the six-room facility in Treinta y Tres, located in the eastern part of South America's Uruguay, claimed the lives of eight women and two men, according to an official statement. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered the main entrance secured, and upon entering, they encountered a fire in the living room with smoke engulfing the entire building. The 20-year-old caretaker escaped unharmed through a garage, as stated in the report. Seven residents succumbed to smoke inhalation at the scene, while the other three, in critical condition, were transported to the hospital but did not make it. Public Health Minister Karina Rando informed the press that the fire seemed accidental, with a heating appliance being considered a potential cause. "The establishment was in excellent condition, having passed recent inspections with only minor observations," Rando commented on the facility. This tragedy occurred just 10 days after a fire at another nursing home in Melo, also in Uruguay's east, where a 77-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman died in the hospital after being evacuated along with 40 other residents. With 16% of Uruguay's 3.4 million population aged 65 and above, this demographic is on the rise.