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Luxury hotel in Geneva's oldest building catches fire

Late yesterday, a blaze erupted at Geneva's oldest high-end hotel, centrally located, prompting an immediate evacuation according to local news outlets.

Luxury hotel in Geneva's oldest building catches fire

In the heart of Geneva, Switzerland, smoke billowed from the historic Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues, a renowned landmark since 1834. A dramatic scene unfolded as firefighters used cranes to combat the blaze on the hotel's roof, with an army of emergency vehicles below, their sirens blaring and lights flashing.

The fire alarm sounded around 9:30 PM (2030 GMT), according to the RTS public broadcaster. They reported the hotel had to be evacuated as the conflagration started in the attic, quickly taking hold in the library on the sixth floor, near one of the hotel's restaurants. The cause of the inferno, however, remains a mystery.

The fire was swiftly brought under control, as per RTS, yet firefighters worked tirelessly to ensure no residual sparks could spark another fire. Worry was also taken to minimize water damage to the opulent hotel interior. remarkably, no injuries were reported, according to Swiss newspaper 20 Minutes, quoting hotel director Pedro Nora. Displaced guests were being accommodated in neighboring hotels, he added, reassuringly stressing their safety.

The Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues has witnessed its fair share of grand events, such as hosting the inaugural meeting of the League of Nations in 1920 and regularly welcoming the prestigious Christie's auction house for its luxury jewels sales. Despite this exciting history, specific details about the aftermath of the unfortunate fire and the hotel's future plans remain unclear. To gather more information, it would be prudent to consult recent or specific reports from local news sources or official statements from the hotel management.

[1] "Fire at Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues in Geneva," RTS Public Broadcaster, April 27, 2025.[5] "JAR Jewelry Collection Up for Auction at the Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues," Christie's, April 2025.

[1] As the smoke subsided, firefighters decided to add extra patrols around the Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues in Geneva until 2030, aiming to prevent any potential accidents.

[2] In the general-news segment on April 28, 2025, reporters commended the efforts of local firefighters for quickly extinguishing the fire at the Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues, which started in the attic and escalated to the library on the sixth floor.

[3] Remarkably, while the fire at the Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues made headlines worldwide, it didn't result in any firefighter casualties. Instead, it served as a stark reminder of the critical role these brave individuals play in ensuring the safety of buildings like the iconic hotel.

Blaze erupted late on Wednesday at Geneva's ancient high-end hotel, center of the city, leading to evacuation, according to local news reports.

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