One person found dead after fire in Winterthur apartment building

A person was found dead in an apartment building in Oberwinterthur on Tuesday afternoon after a fire broke out there, SRF reported. It is not yet known whether the person was a resident who had been reported missing since the fire began.

The fire was reported at about 9:30 a.m. on Heiniweg. Heavy smoke came from the roof, and flames were visible when firefighters arrived. Winterthur city police evacuated the building.

Responders found the person in an attic apartment during firefighting operations. Zurich cantonal police are investigating the person’s identity and the circumstances of the death with the Winterthur/Unterland public prosecutor’s office and the Institute of Forensic Medicine. The Zurich Forensic Institute collected evidence at the scene.

The fire spread through the roof space. Difficult conditions made firefighting challenging, but crews brought the blaze under control and prevented further damage to a neighbouring building. By about 4 p.m., only a few hot spots remained.

Several apartments are currently uninhabitable. Winterthur city police and city representatives are arranging temporary accommodation for affected residents. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and initial estimates put the damage at more than one million Swiss francs. The Alertswiss warning was lifted at about 3 p.m.