How New Year celebrations turned to tragedy as lethal hearth ripped by Swiss ski resort bar
Dozens of people have been killed after a fire ripped through a busy bar in a popular Swiss ski resort during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Around 100 others have been injured, some seriously, as authorities said local hospitals have reached capacity in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana.
The blaze broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day, with footage showing crowds escaping the Le Constellation bar engulfed in flames.
Revellers were gathered at the venue to ring in the new year when witnesses described hearing an explosion. The cause of the fire is unknown, but authorities have ruled out an attack.
Here is everything we know about the incident:
How many people have died?
Dozens of people are presumed dead and about 100 are injured, most of them seriously.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, the commander of the Valais cantonal police Frédéric Gisler did not provide an exact death toll, but the Italian foreign ministry said information from Swiss police indicated about 40 deaths.
Work is underway to identify the victims and inform their families but “that will take time and for the time being it is premature to give you a more precise figure,” Gisler said, adding that the community is “devastated.”
Swiss authorities have also said some victims of the fatal fire are believed to be foreign nationals.
Where did the blaze take place?
The blast occurred at around 1.30am on Thursday at Le Constellation, a bar popular with tourists in the luxury ski resort of Crans-Montana, in the Valais region, southwestern Switzerland.
The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.
With high-altitude ski runs at around 3,000 meters, Crans-Montana is one of the winter sports centres of Switzerland’s Valais region, drawing winter sports enthusiasts from across the world.
The resort is one of the top race venues on the World Cup circuit in Alpine skiing and will host the next world championships over two weeks in February 2027.
The area has been completely closed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana.
What caused the fire?
The exact cause of the blaze is not yet known, but officials have ruled out an attack.
It has been reported that an explosion occurred at the site of the fire, which officials described as an “embrasement”.
This is a firefighting term describing how a blaze can trigger the release of combustible gases that can then ignite violently.
This causes what English-speaking firefighters would call a flashover or a backdraft – which is when all combustible materials in an enclosed space ignite at the same time, often engulfing a room.
A witness speaking to local media BFMTV described people smashing windows to escape the blaze, some gravely injured, and panicked parents rushing to the scene in cars to see whether their children were trapped inside.
The young man said he saw about 20 people scrambling to get out of the smoke and flames and likened what he saw to a horror movie as he watched from across the street.
What was the emergency service response?
Some 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
Regional councillor Mathias Rïnard said the intensive care unit and operating theatre at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity.
In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on those in the area to show caution in the coming days to avoid any accidents that could require medical resources that are already overwhelmed.
Atate councillor for Valais Stephane Ganzer said: “Hospitals across the country are dealing with an influx of injured people.
“To help them in their work, please avoid all risky activities today. Thank you on their behalf.”
Source: independent.co.uk
