World News
Switzerland : New Year Revelry Turns Tragic as Fire Kills Around 40 at Swiss Ski Resort
A devastating fire tore through a crowded bar during New Year celebrations at the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana early Thursday, leaving around 40 people feared dead and more than 110 injured, many of them critically, police officials said.
Crans-Montana (Switzerland): A devastating fire tore through a crowded bar during New Year celebrations at the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana early Thursday, leaving around 40 people feared dead and more than 110 injured, many of them critically, police officials said.
The blaze erupted at Le Constellation bar less than two hours after midnight, transforming a festive New Year gathering into one of Switzerland’s worst peacetime tragedies in recent decades.
Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler told reporters that “several tens of people” were presumed dead. The Italian Foreign Ministry, citing Swiss police, said information pointed to approximately 40 fatalities. Authorities cautioned that confirming the exact death toll would take time as victim identification efforts are ongoing.
“Our community is devastated,” Gisler said. “It is premature to give a definitive figure.”
Cause Under Investigation
Valais Canton Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire, as forensic experts were initially unable to access the wreckage. She ruled out any malicious intent, stating clearly, “There is no question of any kind of attack.”
However, eyewitness accounts suggest the fire may have been accidental. Two women who spoke to French broadcaster BFMTV said they saw a barmaid holding a lit candle placed inside a bottle, which allegedly ignited the wooden ceiling. The flames reportedly spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse.
Fire officials said the blaze likely triggered the release of combustible gases, leading to a flashover or backdraft, a phenomenon that causes flames to spread explosively.
Scenes of Panic and Chaos
Witnesses described terrifying scenes as patrons tried to escape from a basement nightclub through narrow stairs and exits. One survivor recalled a deadly crowd surge, while others smashed windows in desperation to flee the smoke and flames.
A young witness likened the scene to a “horror movie,” saying he saw around 20 people scrambling through fire and smoke, some badly injured. Panicked parents rushed to the site in cars, searching for missing family members.
Emergency services deployed helicopters and dozens of ambulances, as the injured included nationals from several countries.
Hospitals Overwhelmed
The scale of the tragedy overwhelmed local medical facilities. Mathias Reynard, head of the Valais Cantonal government, said the regional hospital’s intensive care unit and operating theatres reached full capacity within hours.
“This night should have been a moment of joy and togetherness,” Reynard said. “Instead, it turned into a nightmare.”
National and International Condolences
Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who assumed office on Thursday as part of Switzerland’s rotating presidency, expressed deep condolences in a social media message. “Our thoughts are with the victims, the injured and their families,” he said, adding that the government stood in solidarity with those affected.
Out of respect for the victims, Parmelin postponed his traditional New Year address to the nation.
A Resort Marked by Tragedy
Crans-Montana, a world-famous ski and golf destination, lies less than five kilometres from Sierre, where 28 people — many of them children — died in a 2012 bus crash involving Belgian tourists.
The tragedy also revived memories of the 2000 New Year’s Eve fire in Volendam, Netherlands, which killed 14 people and injured more than 200 during celebrations in a café.
As investigations continue, Switzerland is mourning one of the darkest starts to a New Year in its recent history.
