Two Swiss apartment fires leave five missing and 19 injured overnight
Two apartment block fires in Switzerland overnight left five people missing and 19 injured, police said.
Police reported that two separate apartment-block fires erupted overnight in Switzerland, resulting in five missing persons and 19 injuries. The first one outlet broke out just after midnight in Thusis, Graubunden canton, engulfing a building that housed a restaurant and residential units; the stairwell collapsed, the roof had to be lifted with a crane, and fourteen occupants escaped, eight of whom were wounded, two in serious condition.
About 100 firefighters continued to battle the flames on the morning of Aug 21, and an inquiry has been launched to determine the cause, which appears to have started on the second floor. The second incident occurred late on Aug 20 in a Schaffhausen apartment kitchen, injuring eleven people, nine of whom were taken to hospitals, including a police officer; firefighters stopped the fire from reaching other flats. Victims were transported to hospitals across Graubunden and Zurich. Authorities are investigating both incidents.
Why it matters
The fires highlight safety risks in Swiss residential buildings and the need for emergency response coordination.
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