A catastrophic fire and explosion at a popular bar in the Swiss Alps has resulted in multiple fatalities and around 100 injuries, many serious, in the early hours of New Year's Day. Swiss police confirmed the tragedy occurred at approximately 1:30am local time on Thursday at the Le Constellation bar in the resort of Crans-Montana, located roughly 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.
Scene of Chaos and Desperation
Eyewitnesses arriving at the scene described utter mayhem. Lara, a 28-year-old Dutch tourist, drove up to the bar just nine minutes after the explosion. "I saw horrendous things," she recounted. "I saw three young people carrying their friend... desperately trying to get help. People were so burned. No one knew what was happening."
She described the venue, known as a haunt for younger people featuring pool tables and a dart board, as being "all wood" with a low ceiling. "The stairs are narrow," she added, noting they were only about three persons wide. "I just can’t imagine trying to get out."
Narrow Staircase Fuels Deadly Crush
Police commander Frédéric Gisler confirmed the blaze originated in the basement of the bar. A desperate crush ensued as panicked revellers tried to escape via the single, narrow staircase. Two survivors provided a chilling account of the fire's start, telling BFM TV they saw a waiter, standing on another's shoulders, bring a birthday candle too close to the wooden ceiling.
"It caught fire in a couple of minutes," one woman said. Another survivor echoed the danger of the exit: "The staircase leading out of the nightclub was extremely narrow. There was a huge surge in the crowd. We managed to escape just in time."
French holidaymaker Bastien Frema, 20, witnessed the terrifying aftermath. "People were screaming," he said, describing victims with "burnt clothing shredded, hanging off them." He added, "People were yelling. Trying to get help. We couldn’t do anything." The emergency response was massive, with helicopters operating until 8am and a large presence of police and ambulances.
Victim Identification and Community Shock
Authorities have stated they cannot yet provide a precise death toll, as investigations at the scene are ongoing and the process of identifying victims and informing families continues. The Italian ambassador to Switzerland indicated it could take several weeks to identify all the bodies.
The local community is reeling. Matthew, a 28-year-old Swiss local, described the bar as a "really deep cavernous" place you enter via narrow wooden stairs. "My friend was in the Mexican opposite and he ran out and saw horrific injuries," he said.
Marceau Fortune, a 20-year-old French hotel worker, waited anxiously at the police cordon for news of friends. He recalled hearing a "massive explosion" so loud he initially mistook it for a firework. "I am worried for my friends," he said. "There are several I have not heard from yet. It’s just beyond horrific."
With the bar being a known gathering spot for teenagers and people in their twenties, there are grave fears that the victims are predominantly young.
