A horrific fire that swept through a crowded bar in a Swiss ski resort on New Year's Eve is believed to have been ignited by sparklers attached to champagne bottles, according to emerging reports and a promotional video from the venue.
Promotional Video Shows Dangerous Past Practice
Questions over the cause of the blaze at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana intensified after a 2024 promotional video surfaced online. The footage shows revellers dancing with multiple bottles emitting sparklers, some held perilously close to the low wooden ceiling.
Witness accounts given to French media appear to corroborate this potential trigger. Two women who were inside the bar alleged that a barman carried a barmaid on his shoulders while she held a lit candle or sparkler in a bottle. "[The ceiling] caught fire in a couple of minutes," one of the women stated.
Flashover and a Mounting Casualty Toll
Officials indicated the initial fire likely triggered a flashover or backdraft, a violent ignition of combustible gases that would have engulfed the venue rapidly. The bar's construction, described by a 28-year-old Dutch tourist as "all wood" with a low ceiling, contributed to the speed and ferocity of the blaze.
The human cost is devastating. Swiss police have said "several tens of people" are presumed dead, with approximately 100 others injured, many seriously. The regional hospital's intensive care unit and operating theatre reached full capacity as helicopters and ambulances rushed victims from the scene.
A Celebration Turned to Nightmare
Authorities in the Valais region, busy with holiday skiers, have urged locals to exercise caution to avoid further straining overwhelmed medical resources. In a press conference, the head of the regional government, Mathias Renard, sombrely noted: "This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare."
Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed the government's "sincere condolences" to the victims and their relatives in a social media post. As the investigation continues to determine the exact cause, the community and nation are left in mourning after a festive night ended in tragedy.
