“Around 40” Killed and 115 injured in New Year’s Eve Bar Fire at Swiss Resort

Around 40 people are believed to have been killed and at least 115 injured after a fire tore through a crowded bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said Thursday.

Speaking at an afternoon press conference, police commander Frédéric Gisler said around 40 people had died and that many of the injured were suffering severe burns. Swiss authorities had earlier said “several dozen” people were presumed dead, noting that the exact toll could not yet be confirmed.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the fire as “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced,” calling it a “drama of an unknown scale.” He said many lives had been lost and others “interrupted or damaged forever.”

“No words can reflect the brutal loss of life,” Parmelin said, offering condolences to the victims and their families. He thanked neighboring countries, including France, Germany and Italy, for their offers of support and said foreign ministries are working to establish contact with the families of foreign victims.

The fire broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. local time (12:30 a.m. GMT) at the Constellation Bar, which was packed with revelers welcoming the new year. Authorities said people at the scene “did not hesitate” to help one another as the blaze spread, while emergency crews mounted a large-scale response.

Mathias Reynard, head of the regional government, said flags will be flown at half-mast for five days. He acknowledged that the wait for information was “unbearable” for families but warned that identifying the dead and injured would take time.

Emergency services deployed about 10 helicopters, 40 ambulances and some 150 responders. Hospitals in the region remain under strain, with intensive care units full and patients being transferred elsewhere for specialist burns treatment.

Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said investigators are examining “several hypotheses” regarding the cause of the fire, cautioning that the work will take time. For now, the leading theory is a general fire that led to a rapid conflagration. Witnesses have been interviewed, mobile phones found at the scene will be analyzed, and Switzerland’s forensic institute in Zurich has been tasked with determining the cause. Officials have ruled out a terrorist attack.

Crans-Montana is a luxury Alpine resort in the canton of Valais, located in the Swiss Alps, about two hours from the Swiss capital, Bern.

Earlier, the Italian Foreign Ministry, citing Swiss police, said it believed around 40 people had died, according to Reuters. Swiss authorities told the BBC that victims are of multiple nationalities and that identification efforts are ongoing due to the severity of the burns.

The Greek Foreign Ministry also expressed its condolences following the tragedy. Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Loverdos said the explosion had caused deep sorrow and stressed Greece’s support for Switzerland. He added that Greek diplomatic authorities in Bern were mobilized immediately and are closely monitoring developments. Loverdos said there is currently no information indicating that Greek nationals are among the victims and expressed hope that no Greeks were affected.

According to the General Consulate of Greece in Geneva, local police have so far made no official announcements regarding the exact number or nationalities of the victims.

Swiss authorities have set up a helpline for relatives seeking information at +41 848 112 117, while the emergency contact number for the Greek consulate is +41 79 780 90 01.

Crans-Montana is a luxury Alpine resort in the canton of Valais, located in the Swiss Alps, about two hours from the Swiss capital, Bern. Popular with international tourists, the resort is known for its extensive ski area and regularly hosts major winter sports events, including races on the FIS World Cup calendar.