Vétroz fire: the 140 firefighters brought the fire under control

A violent fire broke out in a building in the industrial zone on Thursday around 5:25 p.m. In total, more than 140 firefighters were hired to fight the flames throughout the evening and night. “More than a hundred Valais firefighters fought tirelessly against this fire. The Cantonal Fire Office as well as the Civil and Military Security Service were also on site. The extinguishing and rescue train (CFF) was engaged on site. The Valais firefighters were also able to count on the support of around forty Vaud firefighters. No injuries are to be deplored”, details the Valais cantonal police in a press release sent around 9 a.m. on Friday.

All the firefighters working near the disaster with breathing apparatus were regularly checked by the OCVS teams dispatched to the site. The main risks to which firefighters were exposed were exposure to smoke (poisoning) and exposure to heat (hyperthermia). These risks can be fatal for responders in the conditions of a fire of such magnitude. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

On Friday morning, a helicopter was hired for the extinguishing work. The Public Ministry has opened an investigation in collaboration with the police to determine the causes of this fire.

According to the president of the commune Olivier Cottagnoud, it is the old warehouse of BioFruits which was the prey of the flames. The fire is said to have started from the premises of the Polaris IPS company and then spread to the entire complex. The BioFruits warehouses, at least one restaurant and one cellar were affected, while the black smoke had reached Brig in the evening.

(mfr/adi)