Inside luxurious shisha bar the place 40 killed and 100 injured in New Year’s Eve hearth
The fire in Switzerland on New Year’s Eve ripped through the Le Constellation Bar and Lounge in Crans-Montana, Valais. Authorities said around 40 people were killed
This is the site of the fire that ripped through a bar at a ski resort in Switzerland on New Year’s Eve which killed around 40 people.
Authorities said that 100 people were also left injured following the tragedy at the Le Constellation Bar and Lounge in Crans-Montana, Valais. It unfolded just as revellers were celebrating in the early hours of today (January 1).
The fire occurred in the basement of the bar at around 1.30am today (January 1). There was only one escape and access route. Authorities said that several different nationalities were involved in the incident.
Photos show the interior of the cosy boozer, with shisha pipes lined up on tables and TVs lining the walls. The lighting is low, with sofas located throughout the bar and plenty of beers on tap.
The ski resort is popular with holidaymakers from across Europe. Legendary James Bond actor Roger Moore, who died in 2017, owned a chalet there.
Authorities said that the injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theatre at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity. Helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims, including some from different countries, officials said.
Frederic Gisler, commander of the Valais Cantonal police, said: “We are devastated.”
The municipality had banned New Year’s Eve fireworks due to lack of rainfall in the past month, according to its website. In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on the local population to show caution in the coming days to avoid any accidents that could require medical resources that are already overwhelmed.
The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 25 miles north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and 81 miles south of Zurich. And the highest point of Crans-Montana, with a population of 10,000 residents, sits at an elevation of nearly 3,000 meters (1.86 miles), according to the municipality’s website. It says officials are seeking to move away from a tourist culture and attract high-tech research and development.
The municipality was formed only nine years ago, on January 1 2017, when multiple towns merged. It extends over 590 hectares (2.3 square miles) from the Rhone Valley to the Plaine Morte glacier.
Police said that around 40 people are dead and about 100 injured, most of them seriously, following the blaze just after revellers had seen in 2026. Specific casualty figures were not immediately available from the fire and police do not believe it was a terrorist incident.
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