Early hours of New Year’s Day in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, turned tragic as a fire suddenly broke out at the Le Constellation bar, a bustling venue within the alpine resort less than two hours after the clock struck midnight. The devastating blaze claimed the lives of nearly 40 individuals and left an additional 115 wounded, many with critical injuries, according to local officials.
Crans-Montana, recognized internationally for its skiing and golfing facilities, saw its celebratory atmosphere transform abruptly into a scene of profound tragedy. Frédéric Gisler, police commander for the Valais canton, expressed at a news briefing that “several dozen” attendees perished in the incident. Efforts to notify families of victims are underway, though Gisler cautioned that confirming identities will require substantial time, describing the local community as “devastated.”
Beatrice Pilloud, the regional attorney general for Valais, indicated that the cause of the fire remains undetermined at this stage, with investigators yet unable to access the bar premises for a thorough examination. She firmly ruled out any suspicion of an attack during the early stage of the probe.
Emergency helicopters and ground ambulances were rapidly deployed to aid the injured, with victims arriving from various countries. Eyewitness accounts from survivors shed light on the incident’s chaos. Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old Parisian who escaped unharmed, depicted the scene as “total chaos.” He recounted the presence of waitstaff carrying champagne bottles and flares shortly before the fire ignited, although he did not witness the precise moment the flames started. Clavier described initial attempts to hide from smoke behind a table, his subsequent flight upstairs, and a desperate effort to break a plexiglass window with a piece of furniture, which finally allowed his escape. Despite losing personal belongings like his jacket and phone during the escape, he expressed relief to have survived and noted his continuing shock.
Two female patrons reported to French broadcaster BFMTV that a waiter carrying a colleague on his shoulders, who was holding a lit candle in a bottle, inadvertently ignited the wooden ceiling. The fire spread with alarming speed, causing the ceiling to collapse. An ensuing stampede ensued as patrons sought to exit through a narrow stairwell and a cramped doorway leading from the basement nightclub.
Additional witnesses described desperate attempts by attendees to smash windows for escape, often with severe injuries sustained from both flames and smoke inhalation. Panic-stricken parents rushed to the scene in private vehicles, hoping to find their children safe amid the turmoil. Observers likened the scene across the street to a horror film, witnessing close to twenty individuals struggling amid smoke and fire.
Authorities classified the fire as an “embrasement généralisé,” a phenomenon where combustible gases discharged during the blaze ignite suddenly and broadly, intensifying the fire dramatically.
Mathias Reynard, head of the Valais local government, lamented how an evening intended for celebration and community unity evolved into a nightmare. The overwhelming number of casualties strained the regional hospital’s intensive care and surgical units, quickly taxing available resources.
Crans-Montana is situated less than five kilometers from Sierre, the site of a fatal 2012 bus crash that killed 28 people, many children, underlying the region’s recent history of tragic events.
As a hub attracting tourists for skiing at altitudes near 3,000 meters and hosting high-profile alpine events, including World Cup competitions and European Masters golf tournaments, the resort is now focused on recovery and safety precautions. Officials have urged residents and visitors to exercise extreme caution in the coming days to prevent further incidents that could overwhelm medical services already stretched thin.
This fire tragedy coincides with the 25th anniversary of a deadly New Year’s Eve fire in Volendam, Netherlands, a disaster that resulted in 14 deaths and over 200 injuries at a crowded café.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin, marking his first day in office during the rotation of the Swiss Federal Council presidency, offered condolences on social media to victims, the injured, and their families. In acknowledgment of the tragedy, he postponed his traditional New Year’s address to the nation out of respect for those affected.
The complexities of managing emergency response in such alpine resort environments highlight the challenges facing local authorities and healthcare providers in the aftermath of sudden catastrophic events.