At least 10 people have died and several others were injured in a fire at a care home in Villafranca de Ebro, near Zaragoza in north-eastern Spain, early Friday morning, emergency services reported.

The fire broke out around 5:00 a.m. local time (4:00 a.m. GMT) at the facility, which housed 82 residents, many of whom were receiving specialized care for dementia and mental health issues. The care home, originally opened 16 years ago as a retirement facility, shifted its focus in recent years to cater to these vulnerable groups.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze shortly after being alerted, but the majority of fatalities are believed to have been caused by smoke inhalation. Witnesses described limited fire damage to the single-story building, but heavy smoke made rescue efforts difficult.

“My husband went in to help people out. You couldn’t even breathe because of the smoke,” Villafranca de Ebro Mayor Volga Ramírez told reporters. She also suggested the fire may have been caused by a mattress catching fire in one of the rooms.

Two individuals were taken to the hospital, including one in critical condition. Spanish government delegate Fernando Beltrán extended condolences to the victims and their families, pledging continued support for those injured and the investigation into the fire’s cause.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his shock and sorrow over the tragedy, which comes nine years after a similar fatal fire in another care home in the Zaragoza region that claimed nine lives.