Electric lights on Christmas trees are safer than candles, especially as the trees begin to dry out (new LED lights use far less electricity)
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – Two people, ages 57 and 65, suffered from shock and light burns Wednesday 4 January when their Christmas tree caught fire in their apartment in Bex.
Vaud police did not provide details but say the fire was caused by negligence.
Le Matin (Fr) noted in an article Wednesday that fires are frequently sparked by Christmas trees at the end of the holiday season and this year is no exception: they caused three fires last Thursday alone in three cantons.
A fire linked to candles on a Christmas tree in Grand-Saconnex in Geneva 27 December completely destroyed an apartment and two others in canton Bern Saturday caused several thousand francs in damage, according to the Swiss centre for fire prevention.
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Vaud police and fire inspectors are investigating two weekend fires, one of which destroyed a lumberyard/carpentry shop and the other of which severely damaged an apartment building.
Aigle was the scene Saturday night of the second fire, which broke out in the cellar of a small apartment building at chemin du Cloître-de-Là 4, shortly before 18:45. The fire was put out by 20:15, but ladders were used to evacuate seven people who were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, then lodged elsewhere for the night.
The fire destroyed three caves, or storage areas, downstairs, blackened the apartment immediately above the fire and caused smoked damage to the other three other apartments, as well as partially burning a beam.
The fire in Romainmôtier sent the production manager to hospital to be checked for smoke inhalation after he attempted to hose down flames. He was alerted by a passing motorist who noticed smoke about 17:45 Friday 11 February. The fire quickly spread and 12 vehicles with 47 firefighters fought but failed to douse the flames, and the building was destroyed.
A three-part special on housing and the international population in the Lake Geneva region: part 1
(Also see part 2: Myth and reality: how housing in the Lake Geneva region adds up)
Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Switzerland’s population grew by 1.6 percent in 2007, the highest rate since 1963, thanks to immigration fueled by a healthy economy and the country progressively opening up to the Schengen Area free movement of labour, starting in 2002. One result was to put more pressure on the demand for housing, especially in the Lake Geneva region where demand has long been greater than supply.
A new peak in housing demand in 2008 in canton Geneva coincided with new construction falling off, leaving Geneva with an apartment vacancy rate of 0.25 percent on 1 June 2008, the date when national figures are compiled.
