Officials in Almaty, Kazakhstan, reported a fire at a hostel that claimed the lives of 13 individuals on Thursday. The city’s emergency situations department attributed the deaths to carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from the fire.
“In the course of reconnaissance and extinguishing the fire, 13 dead were initially discovered, their identities are being established,” the department said in a statement.

The fire started in the basement of a three-story building housing 72 hostel guests, early Thursday morning. Fifty-nine people managed to escape safely.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.