Explosion in an apartment building in Neuchatel leaves four injured; one airlifted to hospital

An explosion in an apartment building in Neuchatel, in northwestern Switzerland, injured four people. One of them is in serious condition.

The incident occurred around midday, and the cause remains unclear, police said.

Georges-André Louzouet, a spokesperson for Neuchatel police, confirmed that four people were involved in the incident and said the seriously injured person was flown to hospital by helicopter. The incident was first reported by the local newspaper Arcinfo.

A fire also broke out in the building after the explosion. Emergency crews quickly contained and extinguished it, but the area around the building remained cordoned off until the afternoon.

Authorities have launched an investigation to establish the circumstances and cause of the explosion.

Footage broadcast by RTS, Switzerland’s public broadcaster, showed flames and thick clouds of smoke coming from the windows of a first-floor apartment. The footage also showed significant damage to the building’s facade.