The fire on the village square
On 21 June 2022 the Hotel-Restaurant Bären on the village square in Ins burned. Around 120 firefighters were deployed. A burnt-out ruin has stood on the site ever since.
- Date
- 21 June 2022
- Section
- Looking back
On 21 June 2022 a fire broke out in the Hotel-Restaurant Bären on the village square in Ins. Around 120 firefighters were deployed. The roof structure of the building burned out completely.
Nobody was injured. At the time the building was empty and undergoing conversion work, so no one was living in it. The fire was also kept from spreading to the neighbouring buildings. In an old village core where the houses stand close together, that cannot be taken for granted.
The Bären is a protected building. Ins is a townscape of national importance, the municipal building regulations define their own townscape protection zones, and for objects in the building inventory the cantonal heritage conservation office is the assessing authority. A building like this does not simply disappear, and it is not simply replaced either.
What is documented
- 0121 June 2022, Hotel-Restaurant Bären on the village square in Ins
- 02Around 120 firefighters were deployed
- 03The roof structure burned out completely
- 04Nobody was injured, the building was empty and under conversion
- 05The fire was kept from spreading to neighbouring buildings
It is also documented that the innkeeper Ruedi Walter ran the Bären for almost fifty years. About the history of the inn before that we say nothing, because we have no reliable information. What the people of Ins associate with this house, they know better than we do anyway.
After the fire the site stood still for years. A burnt-out ruin on a village square is not only a structural problem. It stands in the middle of everyday life, exactly where a village normally meets. The municipal administration of Ins has its address on the same square.
We begin our articles with this look back because the Bären project does not start on an empty field. It starts where something was lost. That is the point of departure, and we do not gloss over it.
SourceInformation based on public reporting on the fire of 21 June 2022.
NoteThe Bären project is under development. All information reflects the planning status of August 2026 and is not a commitment.
More articles
The rest of the state of things, in the same order as on the overview.
Project19 August 2026What is to be built
Ten senior apartments, two family apartments, one daycare on the ground floor and a shared energy network for the project and its surroundings.
Transparency13 August 2026How we will keep you informed
Not every question has been answered yet, and that is exactly why we communicate openly. Who we write for and how the interest list works.
Project7 August 2026Project start
The schedule begins. The project starts in August 2026, the workshop process runs until February 2027. What happens during that time and what does not.
Would you like to stay informed?
We are happy to add you to the list of interested parties and will write as soon as there is something documented to report.
Interested parties are considered in the order in which they get in touch.