At least 40 people have been killed and 115 injured after a fire tore through a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations. The blaze broke out at about 1:30am local time at Le Constellation, a popular bar and nightclub, as revellers rang in the new year.
Swiss police confirmed dozens of fatalities, with victims severely burned and not immediately identifiable. Arson has been ruled out; investigators believe the fire was accidental. Witnesses reported seeing a bartender carrying a female staff member who held a lit candle in a champagne bottle, which allegedly set fire to a wooden ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse.
Panic ensued as partygoers tried to escape from the basement nightclub up a narrow stairway and through a small door. Some broke windows to flee, while others collapsed outside. Video footage showed orange flames and heard screams amid loud music. Frantic parents arrived in cars, searching for their children.
Survivors described scenes reminiscent of a horror movie. The bar’s owner speculated that hot charcoal from shisha pipes might have sparked the fire. Victims were taken to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich. Police have cordoned off the area and launched a full investigation, with forensics teams gathering evidence.
Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais canton, said what should have been a celebration turned into a nightmare. Police commander Frédéric Gisler acknowledged the shock felt by all. The tragedy has cast a pall over the alpine resort, usually a magnet for wealthy Europeans and tourists.
