House fire in Thusis kills two as three remain missing

At least two people have died in a house fire in Thusis in the canton of Graubünden, SRF reported. Three others remain missing, while rescue teams have so far been able to search only part of the building.

The building remains at risk of collapse, complicating the investigation and recovery operation, the Graubünden cantonal police said. The identities of the two victims have not yet been established. If human remains are found, investigators must take DNA samples and compare them, a police spokesperson said.

Rescue workers and fire investigators were still at the scene on Saturday afternoon. Aerial rescue equipment, a firefighting vehicle with a movable arm, was also being used. The building’s stairwell collapsed in the fire, and firefighters began removing its roof layer by layer on Friday.

The fire broke out shortly after midnight on Friday on the building’s second floor. Fourteen people escaped, eight of whom were injured. Two of the injured were seriously hurt. The cause of the fire remained unclear.

A restaurant occupied the ground floor, while the three floors above contained small studios. Most of the residents were individuals from different countries.