Switzerland: Dozens feared dead in Crans-Montana bar fire

Police fear that "several dozen people" have died in a fire that also left about a hundred injured during New Year's Eve at a crowded bar in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.

At around 1:30 a.m. local time, "a fire of undetermined origin broke out at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana," which was packed with tourists, according to a statement issued Thursday morning by the police of the canton of Valais, in southwestern Switzerland.

"Several dozen people are presumed dead," Canton Police Chief Frédéric Gisler announced later in a mid-morning press conference, also reporting about a 100 others injured. "As I speak, all the injured have been attended to," he added, stating that most were seriously hurt.

Cantonal authorities stated that an investigation is ongoing to determine the causes of the fire, but they ruled out a terrorist act. Stéphane Ganzer, Valais State Councilor in charge of security, told the media that there had been an explosion, but that a fire at the premises caused it.

In video footage taken by an American tourist, large orange flames rise inside the bar, and screams of terror are heard. The witness told AFP he saw people running and screaming. Ganzer described it as "a scene of chaos, a dramatic scene."

Ambulances and other emergency vehicles were still parked in front of the bar, with broken windows, late in the morning, according to an AFP photographer. The Swiss newspaper Le Temps described "a burnt smell still in the air."

'From joy to mourning'

With the emergency service at Valais's main hospital saturated, some of the injured were transferred to other hospitals across Switzerland.

Over a dozen were taken to the university hospital in Zurich in northern Switzerland, according to the Keystone-ATS news agency, while others were sent to hospitals in Lausanne and Geneva.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on X that Milan's Niguarda center, which specializes in treating severe burns, was "available."

Canton public prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud said major resources have been mobilized "to identify the victims and return their remains to their families as quickly as possible."

"The consequences of this tragedy will impact various services and entities for several days," said Ganzer, noting that "several hundred people" have been or will be "assigned to rescue, medical care, investigations, management, and coordination efforts."

Guy Parmelin, who just took office as president of the Swiss Confederation, expressed his regret on X over a "terrible tragedy." "What should have been a moment of joy turned, on the first day of the year in Crans-Montana, into a mourning that affects the entire country and beyond."

The Constellation can accommodate 300 people inside and 40 on the terrace, according to the Crans-Montana resort's website. Located on the ground floor of a building, it has a basement for parties and events, according to the Swiss daily 24 Heures.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said that, according to Swiss police, around 40 people had died, but cantonal authorities believe it's too soon to provide an exact count. They fear, however, that foreigners are among the victims, since Crans-Montana's international reputation attracts tourists from around the world.

At least two French nationals are among the wounded, the French Foreign Ministry said Thursday. "They were immediately cared for by rescue workers," the Ministry said in a statement, adding it remains in contact "with Swiss authorities in case other nationals are involved."

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "deep sadness" after the tragedy, offering Switzerland "the full solidarity of France."

Candles on Champagne Bottles

Valais authorities have not yet provided an official theory on the cause of the fire, but witnesses quoted by Swiss media blame pyrotechnic devices.

According to a young man who was inside the bar, quoted by 24 Heures, "pyrotechnic devices placed on bottles ordered [by customers] in the nightclub triggered a fire in the ceiling," which "caught fire very quickly," causing panic.

Two French women interviewed by BFMTV said that birthday candles placed on champagne bottles set off the fire that ignited the venue's ceiling.

A resident of Crans-Montana told 24 Heures he had "heard helicopters all night." "With the fireworks, we didn't at first realize what was happening. Then we saw the smoke."

People searching for loved ones are being directed to a congress center where a reception and information center have been set up. A mother in tears, quoted by 24 Heures, lamented, "My son is missing, nobody knows where he is."