Mr. Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister

No Fewer than six people, including children, died in a fire that broke out overnight in an apartment building in the Swiss Town of Solothurn, Police said on Monday.

One of the residents noticed smoke in the early hours of the morning and alerted the fire department in the town near Bern.

Firefighters were able to rescue most of the more than 20 people who were in the building.

However, six people died on one of the lower floors, where the blaze started, the regional police department said.

Investigators did not say how many children were among the dead, as the identification of the victims was still ongoing.

(dpa/NAN)