KEY POINTS
- Around 40 people were killed and 115 injured in fire at Swiss ski resort.
- The fire broke out at Le Constellation bar during New Year celebrations.
- Swiss authorities ruled out an attack, saying the incident was being treated strictly as a fire.
- World leaders, including Swiss, French and Pakistani leaders, expressed solidarity.
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland: Around 40 people were killed and about 115 others injured when a fire ripped through a crowded bar during New Year celebrations at the luxury Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, police said on Thursday, as prosecutors stressed there was “no question” of an attack.
The blaze broke out at around 01:30 local time (00:30 GMT) at Le Constellation bar, where revellers were ringing in the new year. Swiss authorities said the death toll could still change as victim identification continues.
“We count around 40 people who have died and around 115 injured, most of them seriously,” Frédéric Gisler, commander of the Valais cantonal police, told reporters at a press conference.
Rescue operation
Mathias Reynard, president of the State Council of Valais canton, said the scale of the incident had overwhelmed local emergency services.
He said 80 injured people were evacuated by emergency responders, while 35 others reached hospitals on their own.
A total of 42 ambulances, 13 helicopters and three disaster-response trucks were deployed.
Around 60 injured people were being treated at the local hospital in Sion, while others were transferred to medical centres across Switzerland, including specialised burn units in Lausanne and Zurich.
ALSO READ: Swiss Authorities Rule Out Attack After Deadly New Year’s Day Fire at Ski Resort
Swiss public broadcasters reported that patients were also moved to hospitals in Geneva and other major cities.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Milan’s Niguarda Hospital was prepared to receive burn victims.
Italy’s foreign ministry later confirmed that 15 Italian nationals were hospitalised, while a similar number remained unaccounted for.
Fire, not an attack
Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general of Valais canton, said the incident was being treated strictly as a fire.
“At no point is there any question of an attack,” Pilloud told reporters, adding that investigators were focusing on the circumstances that led to the blaze.
Addressing early reports of an explosion, regional security official Stéphane Ganzer said it was not caused by an explosive device.
“It is the fire which, as it develops, causes an explosion and a general conflagration of the premises,” he said.
Police spokesman Gaetan Lathion earlier told AFP that there had been an “explosion of unknown origin,” but authorities later clarified that this did not indicate terrorism or arson.
‘Screaming for help’
Early reports had suggested a large explosion might have caused the fire.
But Stephane Ganzer, head of Wallis’s security department, said that “the initial investigation shows the explosion was in fact a consequence of the fire”.
“There is absolutely no question of a terrorist attack,” stressed Pilloud, the prosecutor.
Alex, 21, meanwhile, told RTS that he had arrived at the scene shortly after a loud explosion sounded.
Enveloped in a strong smell of gas mixed with the smell of melted plastic, he said he saw people fleeing the bar with burns and “people screaming for help”.
Then he said he remembered that there was only a narrow set of stairs up from a large basement locale in the building, and worried that dozens might remain trapped.
“That sent shivers down my spine,” he said.
Timeline of the incident
Gisler said smoke was first spotted coming from the bar at 1:30 a.m. A witness contacted the emergency call centre within seconds, triggering a red alert, he said.
The first police patrols arrived at the scene by 1:32 a.m., followed by firefighters and a large-scale emergency response.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, allowing investigators to begin their work.
All injured people had received medical attention shortly after 5:00 a.m., Gisler said. Reception centres were opened for victims, and a helpline was set up for families.
Identification and safety probe
Authorities warned that identifying the dead could take several days due to the severity of burns.
Pilloud said “significant resources” were being allocated to return victims to their families as quickly as possible.
She added that the investigation would also examine whether safety standards were respected, including the layout of escape routes.
Witnesses have described narrow stairways and difficult evacuation conditions.
Two French nationals who said they were inside the bar told French broadcaster BFMTV that a birthday candle placed on a champagne bottle may have ignited the wooden ceiling. Police said this account had not yet been confirmed.
Witness accounts and scene
Images shared by Swiss media showed Le Constellation engulfed in flames, with ambulances and emergency crews surrounding the site.
A tourist from New York told AFP he saw bright orange flames pouring from the building and people running and screaming in panic.
The area around the bar was sealed off, and authorities imposed a temporary no-fly zone over Crans-Montana to allow rescue and investigative work to continue.
International reaction
Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the fire as “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced.”
Speaking on his first day in office, he said many of the victims were young people.
“Behind these numbers are faces, names, families, destinies brutally interrupted,” Parmelin said.
He thanked neighbouring countries, including France, Germany and Italy, for their support and said Switzerland was “united in grief and solidarity”.
French President Emmanuel Macron offered France’s “full solidarity” with Switzerland.
The UK Foreign Office said consular staff were on standby, warning that foreign nationals from multiple countries were likely among the victims.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed condolences and solidarity with Switzerland.
In a post on X, President Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and offered condolences to the victims’ families and solidarity with the Swiss people.
“Heartbroken by news of the devastating explosion & fire in Crans-Montana🇨🇭on New Year’s night. I extend deepest condolences to the families of the victims & wish strength & swift recovery to the injured. 🇵🇰 stands with🇨🇭 in this hour of grief.” ~ President Asif Ali Zardari
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) January 1, 2026
Meanwhile, PM Sharif offered condolences and expressed solidarity with the Swiss Government and the people of Switzerland.
“Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives and pray for the early recovery of the injured,” PM Sharif posted on X.
“We stand in solidarity with the Swiss government and the people of Switzerland at this difficult time.”
Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic fire incident at a ski resort in Switzerland on New Year night. Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives and pray for the early recovery of the injured. We stand in solidarity with the Swiss Government and the people of Switzerland at…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 1, 2026
Popular ski resort
Crans-Montana, located about 40 kilometres north of the Matterhorn, is one of Switzerland’s most exclusive Alpine resorts and attracts large numbers of international visitors during the holiday season.
Le Constellation is a long-established venue with a capacity of up to 300 people indoors, plus additional terrace space. Police said around 100 people were inside at the time of the fire.
