New Year’s Eve blaze at Crans-Montana bar kills about 40, injures more than 100

About 40 people were killed and roughly 115 injured, many seriously, when a fire tore through Le Constellation, a bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana, in the early hours of New Year’s Day, officials said. Smoke was first seen around 1:30 a.m., and witnesses described panic and trampling as people tried to escape.

An explosion was reported as the blaze spread. President Guy Parmelin called the incident “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever experienced,” and postponed a planned New Year’s address. He said flags would fly at half-staff for five days. Authorities said they were working to identify the dead and return remains to families.

Beatrice Pilloud, the regional prosecutor general, said investigators had “no suspects” and were probing the circumstances, interviewing witnesses and analysing cellphones recovered at the scene. Emergency services sent helicopters, ambulances and specialised jets to evacuate and treat the injured.

The nearest hospital in Sion was quickly overwhelmed; patients were moved to Lausanne, Zurich, Bern and Geneva, and some were transferred to hospitals in neighbouring countries. Swiss burn units were strained beyond capacity. Officials said about 50 people were believed to have suffered severe burns and that transfers to hospitals in Germany, Italy and France began immediately.

Key Topics

Sports, United States, World, Switzerland, Crans-montana, Bar Fire, Emergency Response