Swiss investigators were racing on Friday to identify victims of a devastating fire that tore through a packed bar in the Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana, transforming New Year’s celebrations into one of the country’s worst peacetime tragedies.
The blaze broke out around 1:30am on Thursday at Le Constellation, a popular venue among young tourists, killing around 40 people and injuring approximately 115 others, many of them critically. Authorities said it could take days or even weeks to formally identify all the victims, prolonging the anguish for families desperately seeking news of loved ones.
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Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames spread rapidly through the bar. Some patrons attempted to smash windows to escape, while others fled into the street suffering severe burns. The exact number of people inside the venue at the time remains unclear, though the bar had an official capacity of 300 people, with space for an additional 40 on its terrace.
A bar fire in #CransMontana, #Switzerland, early on New Year’s Day killed about 40 people and injured 115, many seriously, Swiss police said.
Authorities said there is no indication of a terrorist attack, and China’s embassy said it has so far received no reports of Chinese… pic.twitter.com/effMlPnV8z
— Bridging News (@BridgingNews_) January 2, 2026
Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the fire as a “calamity of unprecedented, terrifying proportions” and announced that national flags would be flown at half-mast for five days. Local police said they were coordinating closely with families and foreign embassies, noting that many victims were likely foreign nationals given the international nature of the ski resort.
Prosecutors have declined to speculate on the cause, stating only that the incident was not an attack. However, several witness accounts suggested that sparklers attached to champagne bottles — part of a regular celebratory display — may have ignited the blaze after coming into contact with the ceiling.
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Investigators are examining whether Le Constellation complied with safety regulations, including fire prevention measures and the number of emergency exits. Injured victims were transported to hospitals across Switzerland and neighbouring countries as local facilities quickly reached capacity.
France and Italy confirmed that their citizens were among the injured and missing, while the European Union offered medical assistance. Authorities continue efforts to identify the dead and return their remains to grieving families.