An explosion at a ski resort bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, has resulted in numerous fatalities and many others sustaining serious injuries.
The fire broke out during a New Year’s Eve event at La Constellation, a venue crowded with over 100 attendees who tried to flee from the flames.
Unverified footage circulating on social media appears to show flames inside the bar, and other images depict emergency responders outside the building.
Authorities are still providing updates on the situation.
Here’s what we currently know about the incident.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, January 1, during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Le Constellation, a bar in the Alpine region of Crans-Montana.
The ski resort, situated in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps, is a favored location among European and British tourists.
Located about 40 km north of the Matterhorn and approximately two hours from Bern, Switzerland’s capital, Crans-Montana saw the fire erupt around 1:30 am local time (12:30 am UK time). The cause of the explosion is unknown, but officials have dismissed the possibility of an attack.
A witness speaking to French channel BFMTV described people breaking windows to escape, comparing the scene to a horror film.
Different reports suggest various causes for the fire. The Swiss news outlet Blick attributed it to pyrotechnics from a concert. Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani suggested fireworks might have triggered the explosion, and two women who escaped informed BFMTV that birthday candles placed on champagne bottles by staff led to the incident.
One woman shared with the outlet: “One of them was brought too close to the ceiling, which caught fire. In a few dozen seconds, the whole ceiling was on fire. Everything was made of wood.”
Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson from Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told AFP: “More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead.”
Swiss authorities have confirmed they do not consider the incident an attack. A comprehensive investigation into the fire has been launched.
Prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud stated at a press conference: “At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the possibility of an attack.”
In a news conference on Thursday morning, Swiss police reported that ‘dozens’ of people are presumed dead in the fire at La Constellation.
Approximately 100 other individuals have been injured, with many suffering serious injuries.
“This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare,” said Mathias Renard, head of the regional government.
He mentioned that the local hospital’s intensive care unit is filled to capacity, and patients are being transferred to other hospitals nationwide. Renard added that 40 ambulances and 10 helicopters were dispatched in response to the alarm.
Authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of casualties.
The Italian foreign ministry stated that Swiss authorities have reported at least 40 fatalities, noting that several victims could not be identified due to severe burns.