Fire officials say nine bodies have been recovered from the rubble of a massive fire at a vacation cottage in eastern France, where 11 people had been reported missing.

The fire broke out early Wednesday morning in the town of Wintzenheim. Authorities say the cottage was rented by an association that assists disabled people. The missing residents, including 10 adults with learning disabilities and a staff member, were from the nearby eastern city of Nancy.  

Christopher Marot, the secretary-general of the Haut-Rhin district, told reporters earlier Wednesday it was unlikely the 11 missing people were able to escape the blaze.  

The fire was quickly brought under control, but Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that “several casualties are reported” from the scene and that rescue operations were still ongoing.

Seventeen others were evacuated from the blaze, with one person transported to a nearby hospital.  

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on X that she was heading to the site of the fire. “My first thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones,” she wrote. 

Some information for this report came from Reuters, Agence France-Presse. 
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