FIVE MISSING AFTER FIRE DESTROYS RESTAURANT WITH APARTMENTS IN SWISS TOWN

Five people are missing feared dead and eight others were injured after a fire destroyed a restaurant with residential apartments above in Thusis, a town in the eastern Swiss region of Graubünden. Cantonal police said the blaze broke out on the second floor just after midnight local time on Friday. Nearly 100 firefighters from four area fire departments responded to the scene. Fourteen people escaped the four-storey building, with two sustaining serious injuries, two moderate injuries and four minor injuries.

Firefighters' access to the fire was restricted after the stairwell collapsed, forcing emergency responders to use a crane to cut open the roof to reach the upper floors. The injured were transported to hospitals in Chur, Thusis, Ilanz and Zurich. Images from the scene showed flames pouring from the windows of the upper floors, engulfing the top of the building. After the fire was brought under control, emergency responders removed roof layers to enable investigators to search for evidence and possible human remains.

Cantonal police said they were working with the public prosecutor's office to investigate the cause of the fire. Police secured the scene following the incident. The Alpine Graubünden region is described as a popular holiday destination for both winter sports and summer outdoor activities.