Several dozen people are feared dead and more than 100 injured after a devastating fire tore through a bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, with hospital officials confirming that most of the most critically injured patients are young adults aged between 16 and 26.
The blaze broke out at around 1:30am local time at Le Constellation bar, a popular venue among young tourists and seasonal workers. Swiss police have said the incident is not being treated as an attack, with early findings pointing to a rapidly spreading “flashover” fire in which combustible materials ignite almost simultaneously.
Lausanne University Hospital director Claire Charmet said her hospital has so far taken charge of 22 of the most seriously injured victims. Speaking to Swiss newspaper 24 Heures, she said the patients were “on average between 16 and 26 years old” and warned that recovery for the most severe cases would be “a long and intensive process, lasting weeks or even months.”
Charmet added that it remains too early to determine whether any of the injured are at risk of dying, noting that the immediate priority has been to stabilise patients, identify them, and reconnect them with their families. Less critically injured patients may still be transferred to Lausanne as pressure on regional hospitals continues.
Swiss authorities confirmed that more than 100 injured people have been transported to hospitals across the country, prompting officials to urge the public not to overburden emergency services, particularly burns units, which are operating at full capacity. The scale of the emergency response included 10 helicopters, 40 ambulances and around 150 emergency personnel.
Valais canton officials said “several dozen” people are presumed dead, though a precise number has not yet been confirmed. Italy’s foreign ministry cited Swiss police information indicating that around 40 people may have died. Victims are believed to include tourists from multiple countries, and officials have warned that identifying the dead could take weeks.
A specialist forensic team from Zurich has now been deployed to the scene to establish how the fire started and why it spread so rapidly. While local media reports have speculated about the possible role of pyrotechnics, prosecutors stressed that no conclusions have been reached.
An eyewitness told the BBC he broke into the burning building in an attempt to rescue people inside, describing scenes of severe burns and chaos before firefighters and medical teams took control. “A time of celebration has become a nightmare,” one emergency worker said.
A helpline has been set up for families seeking information: +41 848 112 117.
