01/23/2024 1:05 pm (current 01/23/2024 1:09 pm)
Three children could only be rescued dead. ©Luzern Police; Canva
The bodies of three children have been recovered from a devastating farm fire in Lucerne on Monday. The mother's parents and new partner suffered injuries, some of which were life-threatening.
In the early hours of Monday, a fire broke out in an old farm in the canton of Lucerne, in the municipality of Escholzmatt-Marbach. Rescuers found three injured people outside the building, including the missing children's mother and her new partner, both seriously injured, and the children's father, who was slightly injured.
Dramatic action at night
The Fire Department arrived at around 1:20 am and fought the one meter high flames. Due to the danger of the building collapsing, it was not possible to immediately search for the missing children – two girls aged 6 and 7 and a boy aged 9. “This is an old farmhouse, the fire spread very quickly,” explains Godi Studer, commander of the Escholzmatt-Marbach fire department, to “Blick.ch”.
Sad certainty in the afternoon
On Monday afternoon, the Lucerne Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the discovery of three bodies in the house. The children have not been formally identified, but investigators believe they are the missing children.
There are no signs of arson
The cause of the fire is being investigated by fire detectives from the Lucerne police, led by the Sursee Public Prosecutor's Office. There is currently no evidence of arson, but foul play cannot be completely ruled out.
Community in shock
The family had only moved into the house two years ago. The mother and her partner lived with their children in the apartment below, while the children's father lived in the apartment above. Despite the fire in the house and the adjacent barn, where four dogs were rescued, the surrounding buildings were not at risk, as “Bick.ch” reports.