Fires Set Along the Rue de Carouge (Plainpalais)

7 February 2011.  No fewer than eight fires were intentionally set late Saturday night into Sunday morning in the Plainpalais neighborhood. Scooters and trashcans were set ablaze and the fire services assisted some thirty residents in evacuating their apartments.  Three people were taken to the hospital.

Geneva police spokesman, Phillippe Cosandey confirmed that all the fires were located along the rue de Carouge.

Captain Nicolas Schumacher of the Fire and Rescue Service specified that the fires included a small truck, scooters, trash receptacles near lodging, notably in covered passages and arcades.  The windows of one restaurant were blown out as well.

Building Evacuations

Three of eight buildings were damaged more severely than others due to smoke damage in passages. Fire services evacuated two buildings of some thirty people, three of whom were taken to the hospital for observation.  Some thirty firemen and 11 vehicles were mobilized from 4:00 am to 7:30am.

 The police scoured the area in search of the author or authors of the fires but have made no arrests for the time being, according to Cosandey.  “This is a criminal act which may be punishable by jail time, he underlined.

(Translated from the article in French on www.20minutes.ch)