Swiss officials are racing against time to identify victims of the fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, located in the Alps. The blaze occurred in the early hours of Thursday during New Year's celebrations and is considered one of the country's worst tragedies, with about 40 dead and roughly 115 injured.
Around 01:30 local time on Thursday, 1 January, a major fire broke out at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, a popular destination for international tourists. The rapidly spreading flames caused approximately 40 fatalities and over 115 injuries, many suffering severe burns.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos as "like a war zone" and "the end of the world." People tried to break windows to escape the fire, while some survivors fled onto the street with severe burns, desperately seeking help. The bar's capacity was about 300 inside, plus 40 on the balcony.
Although Swiss authorities have not confirmed the exact cause, several witnesses consistently reported seeing staff carrying champagne bottles topped with "sparklers" intended for table service, which caught fire on the ceiling and spread rapidly. Officials have not ruled out any cause but confirmed the incident is not terrorism-related.
As Crans-Montana is a world-class resort town, officials believe most victims are foreign tourists. Italy's Foreign Ministry reported 15 Italians injured and 15 missing, while France confirmed 9 French injured and 8 missing. The bar owners are a French couple from Corsica, reported safe but currently unreachable.
On Thursday evening (1 January) local time, hundreds gathered silently in the cold to lay flowers and light candles. Many attendees mourning that night personally knew people still missing or seriously injured.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the event an "unprecedented horrific tragedy" and ordered flags nationwide to fly at half-mast for five days in mourning. Local hospitals were overwhelmed, necessitating the transfer of patients across Switzerland and to hospitals in France and neighboring countries offering assistance.
Police have warned that identifying victims may take several weeks due to the severe damage, leaving families and friends unable to contact missing loved ones in anguished waiting.
. SourceBBC