GENEVA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed Wednesday in an explosion at the century-old Ritom hydroelectric power plant in Piotta, in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino, according to the cantonal police.
"A serious workplace accident" occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT), the police said in a statement, adding that emergency services had been alerted to a fire inside the building.
Two workers were on site when an explosion occurred for reasons that remain unclear, according to an initial assessment. The two Swiss nationals, aged 18 and 55, were killed.
The blast also caused extensive damage to the building.
An investigation is underway to determine the causes and exact circumstances of the accident, the statement said. ■
