A dramatic video has surfaced showing the moment a fire broke out at a bar located in a Swiss ski resort.
Le Constellation, situated in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, was hosting a New Year’s Eve event when a devastating fire started soon after midnight.
Video clips shared online and by various media sources depict the fire raging inside the establishment as partygoers rush to exit, with thick smoke billowing into the streets.
It is believed that approximately 200 individuals were in attendance, mostly between the ages of 16 and 25.
Reports suggest that the tragedy resulted in at least 40 fatalities, with over 115 others sustaining injuries, as per The Telegraph.
Authorities have indicated that international tourists might be among those affected, with many injured individuals reportedly in critical condition.
Several dozen people are presumed dead and around 100 injured after a fire at a bar in a Swiss ski resort.
Footage shows the fire at Le Constellation Bar and Lounge in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana.
Latest 🔗 https://t.co/nTVM2TaBDi pic.twitter.com/aM6H8ERGJB
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 1, 2026
Frederic Gisler, the police chief for Valais Conton, mentioned, “Because it is an international resort, we think that there are international victims.”
During a press conference on Thursday, Swiss police indicated that identifying all the victims could take several days due to the severity of the injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with current theories suggesting that a blaze on Le Constellation’s roof led to an explosion.
The Swiss president commented on the incident, describing it as “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever experienced” and called it a “drama of unknown scale.”
“This event took place in a place that is dedicated to life and joy… what an incredible and dreadful contrast,” he noted. Flags will be flown at half-mast for five days in remembrance.
Mourners have been seen laying floral tributes outside the venue, and police remain stationed outside Le Constellation.
Swiss authorities have confirmed they are not treating the incident as an act of terrorism.
Prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud stated during a press briefing, “At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the possibility of an attack.”
Different sources have speculated on the fire’s cause, with Blick, a Swiss news outlet, suggesting it might have been sparked by pyrotechnics during a concert.
Additionally, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italy’s Sky TG24 that fireworks could have led to the explosion, while two women who escaped the fire told BFMTV that birthday candles placed on champagne bottles by staff might have triggered the blaze.