At least 40 killed, more than 100 injured in New Year’s fire at Swiss bar
A fire during New Year’s celebrations at a crowded bar in the Swiss resort town of Crans-Montana has killed about 40 people and injured more than 100 others, according to authorities.
The blaze broke out shortly after midnight on Thursday at Le Constellation, located on Rue Centrale in Crans-Montana, according to local police. Officials said smoke was reported at around 1:30 a.m., leading to a large-scale emergency operation.
Authorities said the death toll stands at about 40, with roughly 115 people injured, most of them seriously.
Victims were transported to hospitals across Switzerland, according to police. Officials said the victims’ nationalities are diverse and that formal identification could take days or weeks.
Police said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The Valais public prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation, and authorities said early findings rule out terrorism. A no-fly zone is in place for the investigation.
Footage circulating online and local media reports suggest the fire may have started inside the bar during celebrations, possibly involving bottle sparklers that ignited material in the ceiling. Officials have not confirmed those details.
Additional videos from the early moments show people attempting to extinguish the flames before the fire spread rapidly, followed by scenes of patrons trying to escape. Other footage appears to show congestion at the main entrance and people fleeing through a side door.
Several foreign nationals were among the victims, officials said. Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said between 12 and 15 Italian citizens were hospitalized and a similar number were reported missing.
France’s foreign ministry said eight people were missing and did not rule out French nationals among the dead. French football club FC Metz said trainee player Tahirys Dos Santos was injured in the fire.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the incident “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced,” according to Swiss media.
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Des personnes prises au piège par les flammes dans le bar de Crans-Montana tentent désespérément de s’échapper par la seule issue, qui est bloquée. (témoins) pic.twitter.com/aBQXtKRME9
— SuisseAlert (@SuisseAlert) January 1, 2026
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
