Dozens of people are presumed dead and around 100 others injured, most seriously, after a fire broke out at Le Constellation bar in the Swiss Alps resort town of Crans-Montana during New Year celebrations, police said Thursday.
Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler said the exact number of victims is still being confirmed and authorities are working to identify the dead and notify families. Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said the cause of the fire is not yet known, and officials have ruled out any attack.
Witnesses described a lit candle in a bottle igniting the wooden ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly. People panicked, smashing windows and rushing up narrow stairs to escape. Emergency teams rushed helicopters and ambulances to the scene, and the local hospital’s intensive care unit quickly reached full capacity.
Crans-Montana, a major winter sports destination in Switzerland’s Alps, is hosting thousands of tourists for skiing and upcoming World Cup and Olympic events. Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed condolences and delayed his New Year address out of respect for the victims.