A teenager has described his desperate escape from a horrific fire that tore through a popular bar in a Swiss ski resort in the early hours of New Year's Day, killing dozens and injuring more than a hundred people.
Axel Clavier, 16, said he was forced to use a table as a battering ram to smash a plexiglass window from its frame to flee the inferno at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, south-west Switzerland. While he survived, his group of friends were not so fortunate, with one confirmed dead and several others missing.
Chaos and Desperation in the Early Hours
The deadly blaze ignited at around 1.30am local time (12.30am UK time) on Wednesday morning. Shocking videos from the scene showed flames rapidly climbing to the ceiling of the venue, which was packed with revellers celebrating the start of 2026.
Axel recounted the scene inside as "total chaos," with thick smoke filling the space and people becoming trapped. He was one of at least two survivors who told of having to break windows to reach safety. Another unnamed man, speaking to AFP, said he was trapped in the basement.
"We were trapped, a lot of people were trapped. We couldn’t see because of the smoke," the man said. "I was alone and didn’t know how I could do it, but I managed to break a window and get out... Half of my clothes were gone, it was crazy."
Witnesses Point to Champagne Sparklers as Possible Cause
Both Axel and the other survivor reported seeing waitresses enter the bar area with champagne bottles and pyrotechnic sparklers shortly before the fire broke out. The second witness stated the flares were held "too close to the ceiling" and that the fire "took hold suddenly."
This account aligns with a promotional video from the bar that previously showed staff holding champagne sparklers just inches from the ceiling, raising immediate questions about safety protocols at the establishment.
A National Tragedy for Switzerland
The scale of the disaster has shocked the nation. Swiss President Guy Parmelin addressed the country, calling the incident "one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced."
He described it as a "drama of an unknown scale" and stated that the lives of survivors have been "interrupted or damaged" forever. President Parmelin offered his deepest condolences to the victims and their families as the community and the nation begin to mourn.
Emergency services worked through the night and day in the aftermath. The confirmed death toll is several dozen, with more than 100 people injured, many seriously, after being trapped inside the burning building.
The resort of Crans-Montana, a favourite destination for international skiers, has been left reeling by the tragedy on what should have been a day of celebration.
