Two separate fires in residential buildings in Switzerland have left five people missing and 19 injured, triggering major emergency operations and investigations into the causes of both incidents.
The most serious blaze erupted shortly after midnight on Friday, August 21, in Thusis, a town in the eastern Swiss canton of Graubünden. The fire engulfed a building containing residential apartments and a restaurant, eventually leaving the structure extensively destroyed.
According to regional police, 14 people managed to escape the building, but five remained unaccounted for as emergency crews continued their work. Eight people were injured in the Thusis fire, including two who suffered serious injuries. The victims were transported to hospitals in Graubünden and Zurich.
The scale of the blaze complicated rescue efforts. Authorities said the building’s stairwell collapsed, forcing firefighters to use a crane to open the roof and gain access to parts of the structure. Around 100 firefighters were deployed, with crews continuing to battle the fire into Friday morning.
Investigators said the fire appeared to have started on the building’s second floor, although its cause has not yet been determined. Police and prosecutors have opened an investigation as emergency personnel continue efforts to account for those reported missing.
Second Fire in Schaffhausen
Hours earlier, a separate residential fire broke out in Schaffhausen, a city in northern Switzerland near the German border.
Authorities said the blaze began in the kitchen of an apartment late Thursday. Firefighters were able to prevent the flames from spreading to other apartments in the building, limiting the extent of the damage.
However, 11 people were injured, including a police officer. Nine of those injured were taken to hospital for treatment, according to local authorities.
Combined, the two incidents left 19 people injured and five missing, with the Thusis fire accounting for all of those currently unaccounted for.
The fires have prompted extensive emergency responses in two different parts of Switzerland. While authorities have not indicated that the incidents are connected, investigations are underway to establish exactly how each blaze began and whether additional safety measures may be required.
For residents in Thusis, attention remains focused on the search for the five missing people as emergency teams work through the heavily damaged building.
