Around 40 people have died and at least 115 have been seriously injured after a tragic fire broke out in a crowded bar on New Year’s Eve in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said on Thursday (January 1st).
The tragic incident happened in the bar Le Constellation, a popular nightlife spot in the Valais resort. The police marked it as one of the deadliest tragedies in Switzerland in recent decades.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin said the country was “in shock” after the disaster, that many of the victims were young people.
Earlier, authorities said the exact number of victims had not been confirmed. However, police chief Frédéric Gisler confirmed that around 40 people were killed and 115 injured, with many of them critically injured.
The injured were transported to hospitals across the country, including medical facilities in Sion Lausanne, Bern, Geneva and Zurich.
Neighboring countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have offered to take burn victims who require specialized treatment.
The victims are said to be of several nationalities, confirming that foreigners were also present at the ski resort.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. Prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud said that several hypotheses are being investigated, although the first results suggest that the incident was accidental rather than deliberate.
