One person missing as firefighters battle Sweden water park blaze for second day

Firefighters in Sweden were battling for a second day on Tuesday to put out a blaze at a water park that is under construction at one of the country’s biggest amusement centres.

One park employee is missing and 16 other people, mainly workers, were slightly injured.

Authorities could not say what had caused the fire at the Oceana water park in the popular Liseberg amusement complex in Goteborg, Sweden’s second-largest city.

The fire broke out on Monday and spread over several water slides and the pool area.

Svante Carlsson, from the city’s fire department, said his firefighters have brought the flames under control.

There was “extensive damage and some parts of the structure have collapsed”, he said, adding that he expects his crews “to be on the scene for some time”.

A nearby hotel and office facilities were evacuated.

Police earlier said they were investigating the blaze as a workplace accident and a case of “gross public negligence”.

Tackling the blaze had been made difficult because of the risk of collapse, firefighters said, adding there still were pockets of fire burning.

Oceana, which had been scheduled to open this summer, is to include an indoor swimming area of almost 6,000 square metres and a 4,000 square metre outdoor swimming facility.

The water park has said that up to 1,750 guests will be able to visit at any one time.

Liseberg, which opened in 1923, is a popular tourist destination with some three million visitors a year.