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Five people are missing and eight others injured after a restaurant with apartments was “completely destroyed” by fire in the Swiss town of Thusis, police have said.<\/b><\/p>\n
Initial investigations indicate the blaze broke out on the second floor and the cause was still being investigated, according to the Graub\u00fcnden cantonal police.<\/p>\n
The force said it was called just after midnight local time (22:00 GMT on Thursday) and that nearly 100 firefighters responded. The roof had to be opened using a crane after the stairwell collapsed.<\/p>\n
The Alpine Graub\u00fcnden region, also known as Grisons, is a popular holiday destination for both winter sports and summer nature activities in eastern Switzerland.<\/p>\n
Fourteen people escaped the building, police said, of whom two were seriously injured, two suffered moderate injuries and four suffered minor injuries. <\/p>\n
People were taken to hospitals in neighbouring Chur, Thusis, Ilanz and Zurich, it added.<\/p>\n
Police and the public prosecutor’s office are investigating the cause of the fire.<\/p>\n
A number of foreigners were staying in the building at the time, a cantonal police spokeswoman told Switzerland’s Keystone-SDA news agency.<\/p>\n
Firefighters and emergency service personnel are now removing the roof layer by layer to access the collapsed stairwell, as the search for the missing people continues. <\/p>\n
If human remains are found, DNA samples will be taken for identification, the spokeswoman said. The search could last for days, she added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n