Fatalities reported after fire during NYE celebrations

“We express our support to all those injured, some seriously. We also appreciate the work of the emergency services.”

Swiss officials confirmed that those affected came from more than one country.

Crans-Montana is in southwestern Switzerland and is close to the borders of both Italy and France. Italy’s foreign ministry said initial indications from Swiss police indicated that at least 40 people had died. French authorities said at least two of their citizens were killed.

Beatrice Pilloud, chief prosecutor of the Canton of Valais, said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire because experts had not yet been able to penetrate the debris.

However, authorities have ruled out terrorism as a possible cause. “There is no question of any attack in any case,” Pilloud said.

Officials called blaze a firefighting term that describes how a fire can trigger the release of flammable gases that can then ignite violently and cause what English-speaking firefighters call a flashback or flashback.

This likely led to the “explosions” reported by eyewitnesses in the hours after the fire.

Valais radio station Rhône FM said fireworks on New Year’s Eve were being investigated as a possible cause.

Swiss newspaper TdG quoted an eyewitness from inside the bar as saying that fireworks were thrown over the bottles in the nightclub, causing a fire in the ceiling.

He said the fire spread very quickly and caused panic and stampede as the revelers tried to exit the building.

According to the website, the municipality banned the fireworks display on New Year’s Eve due to lack of rainfall last month.

A local doctor told RTS (Swiss radio and television) that most of the injured had serious burns.

Authorities said 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances were mobilized.

BBC correspondent Silvia Costeloe, who was in the city at the time of the fire, reported that the bar was a local institution.

“It has been around for at least 40 years.” he wrote. “It’s a big bar and it’s not posh. But it’s a pretty posh ski resort, there’s a fair bit of luxury here – it was famous for hosting the Ski World Cup in the 1980s and that’s coming back.”

“You go there for a beer; it’s a kind of young bar. There would be a mix of young people, Swiss and people from the valleys to celebrate here in Crans-Montana.”

A reception center and helpline have been set up for affected families, Lathion said.

The community is located in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 40 kilometers north of the Matterhorn and 170 kilometers east of Geneva.

The tragedy occurred at a busy time for Swiss hospitals, as seasonal flu combined with winter holiday accidents put pressure on the system.

In the local press, in solidarity with the victims, a call was made to the public on New Year’s Eve to avoid taking risks and not to put more burden on hospitals.

Crans-Montana is a popular skiing and hiking area, home to 10,000 people outside of peak ski season.

The resort, one of the best racing venues on the alpine ski World Cup circuit, will host the next world championships for two weeks in February 2027.

In four weeks, the facility will host the top men’s and women’s downhill racers for their final events before the Milan Cortina Olympics, which open on February 6.

Crans-Montana is also a premier venue for international golf. The Crans-sur-Sierre club stages the European Masters every August on a beautiful course with stunning mountain views.

AP, Reuters

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