Bleona Çelaj and two children killed in Shkodër house fire

On 30 July 2026 a fire broke out in an abandoned house in the village of Domen, part of the Postribë administrative unit near Shkodër, Albania. The blaze claimed the lives of 24‑year‑old mother Bleona Çelaj and her two young children, 3‑year‑old Amari and 1‑year‑old Anuari. Police and fire‑fighters recovered the three bodies close together, heavily charred, and recovered fragments of a small gas cylinder (petrogaz) and the bed frame from the dwelling. Investigators suspect the mother may have attempted to ignite the cylinder for cooking, leading to an accidental explosion, although the exact cause remains under inquiry. The material evidence has been sent to laboratories in Tirana for further analysis. A funeral service is scheduled for 15:00 on the same day at the local cemetery, with a three‑day period for condolences.

Authorities continue to examine the scene, and the incident has drawn significant local attention as a tragic accidental fire that resulted in the loss of a mother and her two children.