A night of New Year's celebration at a luxury Swiss Alps resort turned into a deadly catastrophe early Thursday morning, with dozens of people presumed dead and approximately one hundred more injured after a devastating fire and explosion.
A Night of Celebration Turns Deadly
The incident occurred at the Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana resort in the Valais Canton. According to police, the fire broke out at 1:30 a.m. local time on January 1, 2026, while more than 100 people were inside the crowded venue. Valais Canton police commander Frederic Gisler stated that "several tens of people" were feared killed, with the Italian Foreign Ministry citing Swiss police estimates of around 40 fatalities from several countries.
Authorities are working to identify the victims and notify next of kin, a process Commander Gisler warned would "take time." The regional hospital's intensive care unit and operating theatre were quickly overwhelmed by the influx of injured, requiring helicopters and ambulances to assist victims, including international visitors.
Witness Accounts Describe a Chaotic Scene
Disturbing witness accounts have begun to emerge, painting a picture of panic and chaos. Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they saw a barman carrying a barmaid on his shoulders; the barmaid was holding a lit candle in a bottle that allegedly set fire to the wooden ceiling. The flames reportedly spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse.
One witness described a terrifying crowd surge as people tried to escape a basement nightclub via a narrow staircase and door. Another young man told BFMTV he saw people smashing windows to flee, some with grave injuries, and compared the scene to a horror movie. He recounted seeing about 20 people scrambling from the smoke and flames, while panicked parents arrived in cars searching for their children.
Investigation Underway, Attack Ruled Out
While the official cause remains under investigation, fire officials suggested the blaze likely triggered a flashover or backdraft, a violent ignition of combustible gases. Valais Canton’s Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud has stated the tragedy is not considered an attack.
Mathias Reynard, head of the Valais Canton regional government, expressed the community's profound grief. "This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare," he said. The popular resort of Crans-Montana, situated high in the Alps about 40 kilometers northwest of Zermatt, is now the site of a profound international tragedy as it begins the new year.
