Caravan fire and explosions injure two in Olten, Switzerland
A caravan fire in an Olten industrial estate triggered at least two explosions, injuring two people, after gas canisters inside ignited, the fire brigade said.
Update ·
Fire brigade commander says the fire broke out first, then gas canisters in the caravan exploded.
Also in:Deutsch
A caravan parked in an industrial estate in Olten, Switzerland, caught fire on Wednesday, triggering at least two explosions that sent a column of black smoke over the town, Solothurn cantonal police and local media said. One person was seriously injured and flown to hospital by helicopter; a second was lightly hurt.
The first explosion happened around midday on Industriestrasse, with a second following shortly afterwards, witnesses told Swiss outlets Blick and 20 Minuten. Firefighters and police were sent to the scene, and a Rega rescue helicopter airlifted the seriously injured person to hospital. Olten fire brigade commander Philipp Stierli said the fire broke out first, and gas canisters inside the caravan exploded afterwards.
A nearby bar owner said she heard a loud bang and saw the structure collapse before flames shot upward, followed by a second blast. She said a nearby power facility was also damaged. Police cordoned off the area around the fire.
Firefighters had put out the blaze within about an hour and a half, Stierli said, adding that there was no longer any danger to the public. The cause of the original fire was not immediately known.
What we know
- 1 outlet · 20 Minuten A caravan fire in an industrial estate in Olten triggered at least two explosions, police said
- 1 outlet · 20 Minuten One person was seriously injured and flown to hospital by helicopter; a second was lightly hurt
- 1 outlet · 20 Minuten Fire brigade commander Philipp Stierli said the blaze broke out first, then gas canisters inside the caravan exploded
- 1 outlet · 20 Minuten A nearby power facility was also damaged, a witness said
- 1 outlet · 20 Minuten Firefighters had extinguished the blaze within about ninety minutes
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The cause of the original fire has not been established
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The blast damaged a nearby power facility and sent black smoke over Olten and the neighbouring town of Trimbach, prompting a large response from two fire brigades and a medical helicopter. The fire brigade commander said the gas canister explosions, not the original fire, posed the greater risk to responders working nearby.
Updates
·
Fire brigade commander says the fire broke out first, then gas canisters in the caravan exploded.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What caused the explosions in Olten?
- A fire broke out in a parked caravan and gas canisters inside it exploded afterwards, fire brigade commander Philipp Stierli said.
- Were there any injuries?
- One person was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital; a second person was lightly injured.
- Is there still danger to the public?
- No. The fire brigade commander said the blaze was extinguished and there was no longer any danger to the public.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.