A devastating fire at a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana has killed about 40 people and injured 115 others, police have confirmed. The blaze broke out at Le Constellation bar during a New Year's Eve party in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Police in the canton of Valais said the fire started at around 1:30 am local time. Witnesses reported seeing a bartender carrying a female staff member who was holding a lit candle in a champagne bottle, which set fire to a wooden ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse.
Panicked revellers scrambled to escape from the basement nightclub up a narrow flight of stairs, with some breaking windows to get out. Many suffered severe burns, and authorities have struggled to identify victims due to the extent of their injuries. Police have ruled out arson, believing the fire was accidental.
Emergency services dispatched the injured to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich. The prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud confirmed a full investigation has been opened but said there is no indication of an attack. The resort town of Crans-Montana, popular with wealthy Europeans, has been left in shock by the tragedy.
