PIOTTA, Switzerland — Two people were seriously injured Wednesday morning following an incident at the historic Ritom hydroelectric power plant in Piotta, in Switzerland’s southern canton of Ticino, prompting a major emergency response.
Last updated: September 9, 2026, 1:52 PM CEST
The incident occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. local time, according to information provided by Ticino cantonal police. Emergency crews were sent to the site after part of the power station building was damaged.
Initial reports circulating on social media described a major explosion and suggested that several people may have been trapped beneath rubble. Authorities, however, have so far confirmed two seriously injured people, while some of the more dramatic early claims remain unverified.
Emergency crews respond at Ritom power plant
Ticino cantonal police, firefighters from Biasca, Tre Valli emergency medical services and Switzerland’s Rega air-rescue service were deployed to the facility.
Police secured the area as firefighters and medical teams worked around the damaged section of the building.
Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA, cited by Swissinfo, reported that the accident happened inside the old Ritom power station building rather than at the construction site of the new facility being developed nearby.
French-language newspaper Le Temps also reported that two people were seriously injured and that a large emergency operation followed the incident.
Authorities have confirmed structural damage to part of the facility but have not yet released a detailed account of what occurred inside the building.
There is also some uncertainty surrounding the exact nature of the incident. Several early reports described an explosion, while later Swiss reporting noted that police had not yet fully established the sequence of events.
The cause remains under investigation. Early speculation on social media pointed to a possible electrical or transformer-related problem, but authorities have not confirmed that explanation.
Police have also not indicated that foul play is suspected.
The identities of the two injured people and detailed information about their conditions had not been released in the initial official updates.
Why the Ritom power plant is important
The Ritom hydroelectric complex plays an important role in Switzerland’s railway electricity network.
According to Ritom SA, the historic facility uses water from Lake Ritom and operates four Pelton turbines with an installed capacity of around 44 MW.
The power station produces approximately 155 million kWh of electricity annually at 16.7 Hz, the frequency used by Switzerland’s railway network, including services associated with the Gotthard railway corridor.
The existing plant dates back more than a century. A replacement facility is currently being developed nearby, with completion expected in 2027.
Authorities have stressed that Wednesday’s incident occurred in the older power station rather than the new construction area.
The emergency in Ticino follows several recent major rescue operations across Europe, including the Mount Mizhirgi avalanche involving dozens of climbers in Russia, where rescue teams were also deployed in difficult conditions.
This is a developing story. The article will be updated as Ticino cantonal police and other Swiss authorities release additional confirmed information about the cause of the incident and the condition of those injured.
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