Swiss Police have confirmed around 40 people have died after a fire ripped through a bar in a popular Swiss ski resort during New Year celebrations.
The blast occurred at around 1.30am on Thursday at Le Constellation, a bar popular with tourists in the luxury ski resort of Crans-Montana in the Valais region, southwestern Switzerland.
Revellers were gathered at the venue to ring in the new year when the explosion struck.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the commander of the Valais cantonal police said the incident has left “around 40” dead and 100 or so injured, some seriously.
The exact cause of the blaze is not yet known, but officials have ruled out a terror incident.
Images published by Swiss media showed the building engulfed in flames, with footage appearing to show the bar’s ceiling rapidly catch fire.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin visited the town on Thursday afternoon, and told a press conference that many of the victims are believed to be young people.
German Chancellor shares sympathies following the deadly fire
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wished everyone in the fire a “full and swift” recovery in a post on X.
Victims are being treated in French hospitals
Some victims are being treated in French hospitals, President Emmanuel Macron says.
“The toll is devastating. Our thoughts are with the families,” he said in a post on X.
“France is treating the injured in its hospitals and stands ready to provide any assistance.”
Survivors say the fire looked like a ‘horror movie’
Survivors of the fire have described how people frantically tried to escape from a basement nightclub.
Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they were inside when they saw a male bartender lifting a female bartender on his shoulders as she held a lit candle in a bottle.
The flames spread, collapsing the wooden ceiling, they told the broadcaster.
Another witness speaking to BFMTV described people smashing windows to escape the blaze, some gravely injured, and panicked parents rushing to the scene in cars to see whether their children were trapped inside.
The young man said he saw about 20 people scrambling to get out of the smoke and flames and likened what he saw to a horror movie as he watched from across the street.
Watch: Footage appears to show moment deadly fire breaks out at Le Constellation bar
Teenager recalls breaking a window to escape the fire
One teenager who survived the blaze, described “total chaos” inside the bar.
16-year-old Axel Clavier from Paris explained that one of his friends died and a couple were missing.
He told The Associated Press he hadn’t seen the fire start, but did see waitresses arrive with Champagne bottles with sparklers, he said.
He recalled feeling like he was suffocating and hiding behind a table, before running upstairs and using a table to break a Plexiglas window.
It fell out of its casing, allowing him to escape.
He lost his jacket, shoes, phone and bank card while fleeing, but “I am still alive and it’s just stuff.”
“I’m still in shock,” he added.
Burn victims may be transferred abroad for treatment
Many victims of the deadly fire have suffered from serious burns and smoke inhalation.
Although some were flown to specialist hospitals in Switzerland, burns treatment is limited and some may be transferred to neighbouring countries, says Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais Canton regional government.
President Guy Parmelin said the focus will be on major burns victims over the coming days.
How New Year celebrations turned to tragedy as deadly fire ripped through Swiss ski resort bar
Watch : Swiss president calls ski resort explosion ‘one of worst tragedies country has ever experienced’
Vigil to be held shortly
A vigil is being held shortly in Crans-Montana after a fire ripped through a busy bar on New Year’s Eve.
We are expecting people to gather in the popular ski resort in the next few minutes.
