Bern: At least 40 people were killed and several others were reportedly injured in a massive fire at a bar in Switzerland's Crans-Montana during New Year celebrations on Thursday (January 1). The blaze erupted at Le Constellation in the luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana after an explosion.
Authorities rushed to the spot after the incident and launched a rescue operation. The entrire area was cordoned off. Ambulances and other emergency services were also rushed to the spot. At the time of the incident, there were reportedly around 100 people present inside the bar. DRamatic visuals of peole screaming and running in panic also surfaced online.
The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals. The blast occurred around 1:30 am, Valais police spokesman Gaetan Lathion told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
The reason for the explosion is still not known. However, some local media outlets claimed that the blaze erupted due to firecrackers.
"The fire started around 1:30 am this morning in a bar called Le Constellation," police spokesperson Gaetan Lathion said, as reported by The Associated Press.
Authorities also set up helpline numbers for families of victims seeking information. "More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead." A reception centre and helpline have been set up for impacted families, Lathion stated.
A detailed investigation has been launched into the matter. The place where the fire broke out is an internationally renowned ski resort that is visited by a large number of tourists every year.
The incident comes weeks ahead of the World Economic Forum's 2026 Annual Meeting, which will take place from January 19 to 23 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
For the unversed, Crans-Montana is an upscale ski resort town located around two hours from Switzerland's capital, Bern.
