Man charged over deaths of five girls at escape room in Poland

School girls started escape room game to celebrate one of their birthdays

A man has been charged over the deaths of five teenage girls who were killed in a fire at an escape room in Poland.

The 28-year-old suspect, identified only as Milosz S, is accused of “deliberately creating the danger of a fire in the escape room” and “unintentionally causing the death of people in a fire”.

The girls, aged around 15, were killed in the blaze in the city of Koszalin on Friday night as they celebrated a birthday at the venue. Officials believe a leaky gas container inside a heater is the most likely cause of the fire.

The victim’s bodies were discovered at the private house by firefighters after they extinguished a fire next to the locked room. Authorities said the room had no emergency evacuation route.

Autopsies showed that the girls died of carbon monoxide inhalation. A young man employed there was hospitalised with burns.

The suspect's lawyers said he was “deeply distraught” by the deaths and that he denies the charges against him.

If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison.

The deaths of the teenage girls identified as Julia, Amelia, Gosia, Karolina and Wiktoria has prompted an outpouring of grief in Poland.

Poland's president, Andrzej Duda described the deaths as a “crushing tragedy” in a post on Twitter.

“Five joyful girls starting out in life have had life torn away from them. May God protect their parents and loved ones,“ he wrote.

Over the weekend authorities shut 13 escape rooms after more than 200 of Poland’s 1,100 escape rooms were checked for safety flaws. People have also been urged to report potential violations to firefighters and police.

“Sanctions need to be harsh,” Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski said.

Escape room games involve players having to complete challenges or riddles to progress to the next room.