Wow... the apartment block opposite me had a fire in the parking garage this evening, according to some neighbours the loud bangs I could hear earlier were probably cars exploding!

Anyway, I was amazed at how speedy and efficient the firemen and police were in sorting everything out: cordoning off the street, diverting traffic, searching the building for people still in their flats. Sometimes I think the police get a lot of flak, but when something scary like this happens just across the road from you, I'm very glad that there are people around whose job it is to keep us safe!

Thats it really... anyone else have something positive to say about our emergency services?

Here are some photos of yesterday's two fires. Looks like there were quite a few fire engines in use.

I haven't had to call the emergency services myself but it's always good to read some positive opinions about my professional "colleagues" from the fire department.

Also in Geneva I found it the same and quite impressive.

One evening around 3am I woke up to the sound of people trying to break in - who obviosly thought there was no one in.

Shocked and alone I called the police who within 5 mins came with 6 of them and a police dog. They found the two guys in the building they were so fast. Thank god nothing worse happened.

That night the downstairs door was not working properly so wasnt locked. The next day I called the regie to say what had happened to me. The next evening it wasnt fixed to my horror!!!! I called the regie the day after who fixed the door but that meant no sleep for me for two nights....

I have sinced moved

Just back from holidays in my home country up north I've been thinking the same. It is amazing how quick and efficient the police is here e.g. by accidents.

Underground car parks and fire:

Switzerland probably has more underground car parks per car than most countries, but what this with smoking in them? The times I've seen people smoking in our local Coop and Migros car parks - the Coop even has an ash tray by the lift as the building is now non-smoking. Except the car park.

Doesn't Swiss petrol explode at all then??

Rachel, next time get your camera out. 50 francs a picture, apparently

I have never personally had to call the ES but i have found them to be very fast indeed.....It's good to know we are safe...

We have had the fire engines here twice to pump water out of our underground garage, we live near the lake, and when it as rained very hard it as flooded our garage so they came and pumped all the water out.

Hi AbFab,

Smoking in underground car parks is normally verboten (there's a sign at the entrance), but not because of petrol fumes, which is lighter than air and escapes, but because of LPG (heavier than air) which settles in the lowest deck.

Bigger car parks at malls, because of the constant coming and going, have mandatory forced ventilation for the exhaust fumes more than petrol/gas fumes. People would succumb far faster from carbon monoxide poisoning and those with respiratory problems would be retching on the floor from exhaust fumes long before petrol fumes would build up to dangerous levels.

Still, they shouldna smoke in there, period.

I had my camera out! All I got were blurry photos of a firetruck. Plus I felt guilty for photographing my neighbours trauma.