Switzerland has announced five days of national mourning after a fire tore through a crowded bar in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana, killing around 40 people and injuring 115. The blaze broke out at 1:30am on Thursday at Le Constellation bar, where revellers were celebrating New Year's Eve.
President Guy Parmelin described the incident as one of the most traumatic events in Swiss history. 'It was a drama of an unknown scale,' he said, paying tribute to the 'young lives that were lost and interrupted'. He pledged to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Witnesses reported that it started after sparklers or flares were placed into champagne bottles. Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV that a bartender was carrying a female staff member on his shoulders, and she was holding a lit birthday candle on a bottle that set fire to the wooden ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse and engulfing a crowded basement.
Swiss police warned that identifying all victims could take days or weeks. The exact number of people in the bar at the time is unclear. Chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said significant resources have been deployed to identify victims and return bodies to families. The investigation will also examine whether the bar met safety standards and had sufficient exits.
Many of the injured suffered serious burns and lung damage. They were taken to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich, and neighbouring countries. Italy reported 16 nationals missing and 12 injured, while France said eight citizens were missing. One Australian was among the injured.
Hundreds gathered for a vigil on Thursday evening, laying flowers and lighting candles in the freezing cold. Ulysse Brozzo, a 16-year-old ski instructor, said several friends were in the club. 'It's a total tragedy,' he said. 'There were hundreds of people inside.'
