The explosion, the flames and the drones: the victims identified

Two people died and eleven others were injured in an accident that occurred yesterday evening in an underground car park in Nussbaumen.

BADEN – «Because of the drones, the rescue helicopters cannot fly. We urgently ask the pilots to bring the aircraft back to the ground! This is the furious tweet from the Aargau cantonal police published yesterday evening, 13 June. A strong explosion had just shaken the town of Nussbaumen, near Baden, killing two people and injuring 11 others. Yet, the emergency services could not do their job. The reason? The airspace near the scene of the drama was infested with private drones. Rega helicopters were unable to intervene.

The inconvenience was then resolved through the tweet published by the cantonal police themselves at 8.30 pm. However, he is left with a bitter taste in his mouth due to a dramatic situation made even more complicated by the obstacles to rescue. Helicopters were not needed to save people, but they helped firefighters with aerial photography.

The alarm and rescue – “The investigations are continuing, we were able to ascertain that powerful fireworks were used in the car park,” explained the cantonal police, adding that, for the moment, there are no other details on the drama. In the meantime, the hypotheses of crime and attack have been excluded.

However, the material damage is extensive. Police received reports of several explosions in the underground car park shortly before 7pm. A large contingent of police, firefighters and rescue workers was deployed. When they arrived, the fire had already spread to the first floor of the more than ten-story tower.

The two victims, a 43-year-old Italian and a 24-year-old Swiss man, were found in the underground car park, police told a Keystone-ATS reporter at the scene. The eleven injured people all suffered only minor injuries, they said. The firefighting work was completed before midnight, but rescue operations continued.

The testimonies – The testimonies collected by the French press convey the pause and anxiety of those who witnessed the accident. “The explosion was so strong that it shook the house,” said a resident of the town. The shock wave shattered the windows of the nearest buildings.

«I was at home with my family when suddenly I heard a deafening roar. Shortly afterwards the police and ambulance sirens went off. We were very scared”, another witness told Blick. An even greater scare for the people who were in the affected building. «Suddenly everything started shaking. Then several explosions followed,” explained a boy who was at home with his mother on Thursday evening. «We did not immediately understand the seriousness of the accident. But when we saw the smoke and flames we realized we were in danger.”

Ambulances and helicopters – Over 100 residents of the six residential towers connected to the underground car park were evacuated. Most of them managed to return to their homes during the night. According to police, many others have found refuge with relatives and friends. The municipality has arranged emergency accommodation for some. In addition to the ambulances, three rescue helicopters were also deployed to fight the fire.

The statics of residential buildings are currently being evaluated. There is no acute danger, but there are areas at risk of collapse, the police spokesman said.

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