At least 40 people are believed to have died and 115 were injured after a fire tore through a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations, police have said.
The blaze started at around 1:30am local time on Thursday at Le Constellation, a two-storey venue popular with young people and tourists. Authorities have ruled out arson, suspecting the fire was accidental. Witnesses told French broadcaster BFMTV that a bartender was carrying a female staff member who held a lit candle in a champagne bottle; the flame set fire to a wooden ceiling, which collapsed and spread the fire rapidly.
Panicked revellers tried to escape from a basement nightclub via a narrow staircase and door. Some broke windows to get out, while others collapsed outside the building. The fire caused severe burns, making victim identification difficult. Police and forensic teams have cordoned off the area, and victims have been taken to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich.
A police spokesperson described the scene as “a total tragedy”, with more than a hundred people inside the bar. Another witness likened the event to a horror movie. The ski resort’s canton president said what should have been a moment of celebration “turned into a nightmare”. An investigation has been opened, but prosecutors said they are not considering an attack.
