Emergency - 117!

Last night we were walking to dinner at a little Mexican place down in Seefeld when we started smelling smoke.  Looking across the street we noticed a small fire on the ground between two containers in a recycling center...maybe a cigarette butt or ash caught on fire?  Another passerby had also noticed the fire and gone over to try to smother it, but couldn't.  He came over to us and we said we could call the police, but we didn't know the number.  He didn't either - he wasn't Swiss.  Then a couple and their son came riding up on bikes - they weren't Swiss (seems to be a trend in the area) - but at least thought they knew the number.  Fortunately I had my handy "handy" (cell phone is "handy" in German) so I attempted to call.  "Sprechen sie Englisch?" I asked.  "Nein" answered the operator - so much for assistance in an emergency!  Fortunately the man on the bike did speak German and he talked to the operator and gave them all of the pertinent information.  The "bike family" then continued on their way, content in the knowledge that the police would surely show up and take care of the problem.  We, however, felt the urge to stay and make sure that they actually DID show up.  I felt like we were part of an episode of Candid Camera - Zurich as people continued to walk by, notice, comment, and then continue on.  Eventually another couple on bikes came by and were interested enough to stop and try to do something.  Surprise - they were also not Swiss - native Spanish speakers this time.  Just as we were about to call the police again, they showed up.  We didn't stick around to see if they actually put it out, but let's assume they did.  The Spanish couple wondered if we saw who started the fire - we did not, but certainly didn't want to be charged with doing so!
Just another fun evening in Zurich...but the real questions are...

     1.  Where were all the Swiss people?
     2.  What was someone doing that close to a recycling container on a Sunday anyway???