An explosion occurred in an apartment building in Neuchâtel, northwestern Switzerland, on Tuesday, injuring four people, one of them seriously, authorities said.
The blast took place midday in a first-floor apartment at a residential building on rue des Fahys. George André Louzouey, spokesman for the Neuchâtel cantonal police, confirmed the incident. "An explosion occurred at midday in an apartment in a residential building. Four people were injured, one of them seriously, who was transported to hospital by helicopter," Louzouey said.
Following the explosion, a fire broke out in the apartment but was extinguished quickly, according to police. The neighborhood remained cordoned off through the afternoon as emergency services worked at the scene. Firefighters, police, civil protection personnel, and employees from the natural gas company were present at the location.
Video footage posted by Swiss public television RTS showed flames and dense smoke pouring from the windows of the first-floor apartment, with visible damage to the building's facade. Witnesses reported seeing a thick column of dark smoke rising above the city around noon.
The cause of the explosion had not been determined as of Tuesday afternoon. Police indicated the situation was "quite serious" and said they could not yet provide details about what triggered the blast. A press conference was scheduled for later in the day to provide further information.
The building was evacuated and the street was closed to traffic as emergency response operations continued.