Dozens Feared Dead in New Year’s Eve Fire at Swiss Ski Resort Bar
Crans-Montana, The Gulf Observer: Several dozen people are feared dead and around 100 others injured following a devastating fire at a ski resort bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, during New Year’s Eve celebrations, authorities said on Thursday.
The blaze broke out at around 01:30 local time at Le Constellation, a large, multi-level bar popular with young people. Police said it was too early to provide a precise death toll, but the Italian Foreign Ministry, citing Swiss police, indicated that approximately 40 people were believed to have died.
Swiss officials said most of the injured suffered severe burns and were taken to hospitals in the canton of Valais, where intensive care units are now at full capacity. A specialist burns unit in Milan, Italy, has also been made available to assist with treatment.
Emergency services mounted a large-scale response, deploying 10 helicopters, 40 ambulances and around 150 emergency personnel to the scene. Authorities said efforts are ongoing to identify the victims and return the bodies to their families as quickly as possible. Valais chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud noted that the identification process could take considerable time due to the severity of the burns.
Officials believe nationals of several countries were among those affected. French media reported that at least two of the injured are French citizens. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “full solidarity and fraternal support” to Switzerland. The UK embassy in Switzerland said it was monitoring the situation, with consular staff on standby to assist any British nationals if needed.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Prosecutors stressed that the incident is being treated solely as a fire and not as an attack. Regional security officials dismissed speculation about an explosive device, explaining that any explosion likely resulted from the fire spreading rapidly within the premises.
Eyewitnesses cited by French media said the fire may have started when a birthday candle placed on a champagne bottle ignited the wooden ceiling. They described the evacuation as extremely difficult due to narrow escape routes and stairways.
Le Constellation, which can accommodate up to 300 people, is a long-established venue in the Alpine resort. The Christmas and New Year holiday period is among the busiest of the year for ski resorts, and authorities believe the bar was crowded with both locals and tourists celebrating the start of 2026.
Investigations into the incident are continuing, as Switzerland mourns one of the deadliest fires in recent years.
