A New Year's Eve celebration at a popular Swiss nightclub turned into a deadly inferno, killing around 40 people and injuring approximately 100 others in one of the country's worst fire disasters in recent memory.
Horror in the Alps: The Night Celebrations Turned to Tragedy
The catastrophe unfolded shortly after 1:30am local time (12:30am GMT) on 1 January 2026 at the Constellation Bar in the upscale Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana. The venue, packed with revellers ringing in the new year, was suddenly engulfed by flames that witnesses say spread across the ceiling "in seconds".
Dramatic footage from inside the bar shows enormous flames rapidly consuming the ceiling as loud music continued to play, with panicked partygoers initially unsure of the danger. Moments later, the music was drowned out by terrified screams as the full scale of the blaze became apparent.
Police spokesperson Gaetan Lathion confirmed that more than a hundred people were inside the building at the time, adding that emergency services were confronted with "many injured and many dead". The Italian foreign ministry cited Swiss police information indicating about 40 fatalities, though officials at a press conference would only confirm "tens" of deaths.
Chaotic Escape and a Suspected Cause
Survivors described a scene of utter chaos and panic as people fought to escape the basement venue. A major factor in the high casualty count appears to have been the single, narrow staircase that served as the only exit, leading to a deadly crush.
Multiple witnesses pointed to a specific New Year's celebration as the likely ignition source. Several described seeing waiters or dancers with champagne bottles fitted with sparklers or birthday candles. A survivor told French channel BFM that a waiter holding a candle close to the ceiling caused it to catch fire "in a couple of minutes".
Images of the bar's interior show sound-proofing foam fitted to the ceiling, which may have contributed to the fire's rapid spread. Prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud described a "flash-over", where superheated air causes sudden detonations, but stressed the investigation into the exact cause was just beginning and terrorism had been ruled out.
Massive Emergency Response and International Impact
The scale of the tragedy triggered a huge emergency mobilisation. Authorities deployed 10 helicopters, 40 ambulances, and 150 emergency workers to the scene. The injured were airlifted to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva, and Zurich, overwhelming medical facilities.
Mathias Reynard, head of the Valais cantonal government, said most injured were in serious condition and that the local intensive care unit was full, with patients being transferred elsewhere. A doctor in the Swiss air ambulance service told local media hospitals were "overwhelmed with burn victims".
While the nationalities of the victims have not been officially released, the resort is popular with international tourists, including British visitors. The UK embassy in Berne stated that "nationals from multiple countries" were likely impacted and that their staff were ready to provide support. Prosecutor Pilloud confirmed several foreign offices had been contacted.
A Community in Mourning and a Resort in Shock
The luxury resort of Crans-Montana, famed for its 87 miles of ski trails and set to host the FIS World Cup later in the month, has been plunged into mourning. The area remains cordoned off with a no-fly zone in place as investigations continue.
Local residents spoke of a night of horror, hearing screams and constant helicopter activity. One bus driver told the Daily Mail, "This is an absolute tragedy... they should never be allowed anywhere near crowded places", referring to reports of fireworks or sparklers.
Police have warned it will take "multiple days" to identify many of the victims. A helpline and reception centre has been established for families seeking information. As the community grapples with the loss, authorities have made a poignant appeal for solidarity, asking the public to "refrain from risky activities" on what should have been a day of celebration.
