Several dozen people are presumed dead and about 100 others injured after a fire tore through a crowded bar in Crans-Montana, one of Switzerland’s top luxury ski resorts, police said early Thursday.
The blaze erupted at around 1:30 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) on New Year’s Day at the Le Constellation bar, which can hold 300 people indoors and another 40 on its terrace. Authorities said the cause of the fire is under investigation but do not suspect an attack. Swiss media suggested pyrotechnics used during a concert may have sparked the fire.
Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Wallis canton, said, “Several dozen people are presumed to have died,” adding that many of the roughly 100 injured were seriously hurt. Hospitals in the region declared a state of emergency, with patients being transferred across Switzerland.
Eyewitnesses described chaos as flames engulfed the bar. A tourist from New York captured video showing bright orange flames while people ran and screamed in the dark. Residents reported hearing helicopters and sirens throughout the night as emergency responders worked at the scene.
Police have closed off the area to the public and imposed a no-fly zone over Crans-Montana. Early reports indicate that victims include international tourists, with at least two French citizens among the injured.
Locals described the scene as a stark contrast to the festive New Year celebrations underway just hours earlier. “The party was in full swing… music and champagne flowing freely,” one resident said. “Then the smoke appeared. It’s terrible, a lot of young people go to that bar.”
Authorities cautioned that the exact number of casualties is still unknown as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
