Explosion at Swiss carnival injures several people

An explosion on a carnival float in Le Châble, in canton Valais in southwestern Switzerland, injured eleven people on Saturday afternoon during the Bagnes Carnival. The Valais cantonal police confirmed the incident in a statement. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The explosion, first reported by the Nouvelliste newspaper and Rhône FM websites, happened shortly before 3pm as the carnival floats were making their way through the parade. A cantonal police spokesman told the Keystone‑SDA news agency that investigators believe the explosion was caused by an air compressor on a confetti cannon. The investigation, led by the cantonal public prosecutor, is still underway. It aims to establish the exact circumstances of the incident. The injured were treated at the scene before being taken to several hospitals in the region. According to Swiss public radio RTS, one person was reportedly seriously injured and was flown to the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) by ...