Dozens Feared Dead in New Year’s Eve Fire at Swiss Alpine Ski Resort - toll may rise

Swiss authorities said on Thursday evening that around 40 people were killed and at least 115 were injured in a fire that swept through a bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana, warning that the death toll could still change as emergency teams work to identify victims. Several of the injured were reported to be in serious condition.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Swiss officials had informed Rome that at least 47 people may have died, though Swiss authorities have not officially confirmed that figure.

At a joint news conference, police, prosecutors and emergency services acknowledged that they still do not know how many people were inside the bar at the time of the blaze or what its maximum legal capacity was.

Video footage shows the rapid spread of fire

International media on Thursday published disturbing video footage believed to show the moments after the fire broke out. In one clip, flames are seen racing across the ceiling while dozens of people remain inside, some apparently filming the scene before grasping the danger. In a second segment, filmed from outside, young people can be seen trapped inside the burning building, trying to jump from windows as screams are heard.

The fire broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. local time in the basement of the Le Constellation Bar, where more than 200 people were attending a New Year’s Eve party, authorities said.

Officials quickly ruled out terrorism or deliberate wrongdoing.

Possible role of fireworks under investigation

Local prosecutor Béatrice Philo said “several hypotheses” were being examined regarding the cause of the blaze, but stressed it was too early to draw conclusions.

Asked about witness accounts suggesting that champagne bottles carrying candles or sparklers may have ignited the wooden ceiling, Philo said: “The incident occurred only hours ago, and I cannot comment on details at this stage.”

She confirmed that the basement staircase used as an escape route appeared narrow, but said investigators would need time to determine whether it complied with safety regulations.

Survivors describe chaos and blocked escape

Several survivors told French media that the fire spread rapidly after flames reached the wooden ceiling. Two women interviewed by BFMTV said a staff member was carrying a champagne bottle with a lit candle on his shoulders when the ceiling caught fire.

“Within seconds, everything was burning,” one said. “The ceiling was entirely made of wood.”

Another survivor told AFP that waitresses were carrying champagne bottles fitted with fireworks rather than candles and that they were held close to the ceiling moments before the blaze erupted.

“We were trapped. Many people were trapped,” he said. “The smoke was so thick we couldn’t see the exits. I broke a window to escape. Some of my friends didn’t make it.”

Rescuers recount scenes of horror

A man interviewed by the BBC said he rushed into the burning building after hearing his younger brother might be inside.

“I broke a window so people could escape,” he said. “Inside, people were on fire from head to toe.”

Sixteen-year-old Lacoste Calvier, a tourist from Paris, said there was “chaos” inside the bar. One of his friends was killed, and several others remain missing.

“I felt like I was suffocating,” he said. “I hid under a table, then ran upstairs, broke a window with a chair and got out.”

Foreign nationals among the missing

Authorities said many of those attending the party were tourists. Italian officials reported that at least 16 Italian citizens were among the victims or missing.

No Israelis were known to have been injured, but the Israeli emergency organization ZAKA said it had received reports of three missing Jews and was sending a team to the site.

Rabbi Yitzhak Levy, a Chabad emissary in the area, told Israeli media he heard a “huge explosion” during the night. “Within minutes, the streets were filled with ambulances and emergency services. It was chaos,” he said.

Popular resort shaken

Crans-Montana, home to about 10,000 residents, lies high in the Swiss Alps and is one of Switzerland’s best-known ski resorts, attracting visitors from across Europe and beyond. The resort regularly hosts international winter sports competitions.

Authorities said the investigation would continue in the coming days as forensic teams examine the scene and work to establish the exact sequence of events.