Fire at UBS building in downtown Zurich put out after six hours

Updated: Police in Zurich are investigating if nearby construction works may have been behind a fire in a UBS building in the city on Thursday.

Published: 26 April 2018 13:39 CEST
Updated: 27 April 2018 07:15 CEST

Fire at UBS building in downtown Zurich put out after six hours

File photo: Depositphotos

Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from the building in Pelikanstrasse after the fire was reported just after 10am on Thursday morning, Zurich rescue services said in a statement.

A total of 25 people received medical attention on the scene, but no one was hospitalised.

#Grosseinsatz der #Feuerwehr wegen #Dachstockbrand im Kreis 1. Die Liegenschaft sowie die angrenzende Baustelle wurden komplett evakuiert. Verletzte sind keine zu beklagen. Die Lösch- und Aufräumarbeiten sind sehr aufwändig. Zur Medienmitteilung: https://t.co/xcjcldTPV4 ^sc pic.twitter.com/2aPZCCUuSp

— Schutz & Rettung ZH (@SchutzRettungZH) April 26, 2018

The fire was finally extinguished after six hours.

#Brand gelöscht, #Rauch hat sich verzogen , Medienmitteilung folgt. ^po

— Schutz & Rettung ZH (@SchutzRettungZH) April 26, 2018

The operation was described as “complex”. Firefighters needed to cut holes in the copper sheet roof to get at the burning wooden layer below.

There are construction works going on near the UBS building and cantonal and city police are now investigating if these may have played a part in the fire, rescue services said in their statement.