Dozens killed in New Year bar fire at Crans-Montana ski resort
Deadly New Year’s Fire in Swiss Ski Resort Bar
A fire broke out at approximately 1:30am (00:30 GMT) on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at Le Constellation bar in the centre of the Crans-Montana ski resort in southwestern Switzerland, killing about 40 people and injuring more than 100 others, according to Swiss police.
Authorities reported that more than 100 people were inside the popular tourist venue when the blaze started during New Year’s celebrations. Crans-Montana is a luxury Alpine ski resort town located about 200km south of the Swiss capital, Bern.
Explosion and Fire Characterization
Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson in the Valais (Wallis) canton, said there had been an explosion of unknown origin at the site. Later on Thursday, Swiss officials described the incident as an “embrasement generalise”, a French firefighting term used to describe a fire that releases combustible gases which can then ignite violently and cause what English-speaking firefighters refer to as a flashover or backdraft.
Authorities stated that it remains unclear how the fire was ignited and how it spread. As of Thursday, specialist forensic investigators from Zurich had arrived at the scene to begin a detailed investigation.
Casualties and Hospital Response
Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Valais canton, said about 40 people had been killed and 115 injured in the Crans-Montana bar fire. He noted that it would take several days to return the bodies to their families.
A medical source told broadcaster RTS that hospitals in French-speaking Switzerland were overwhelmed with burn victims. Regional councillor Mathias Renard stated that most of those injured were in serious condition, and that some victims were from other countries. He added that the intensive care unit at Valais hospital was full and patients were being transferred to other facilities.
University Hospital Zurich reported that it was treating 12 patients for burns. Lausanne University Hospital said its burns and intensive care units were treating 22 patients, with the youngest patient aged 16. In neighbouring Italy, the major burns unit at Milan’s Niguarda hospital was made available to help treat injured people.
Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland said it may take weeks to identify many of the victims because of the severity of their burns.
Emergency Operation and Security Measures
After authorities were alerted to the blaze, emergency services deployed 10 helicopters, 40 ambulances and 150 responders to the scene. Police said most of the injured individuals had significant injuries, including severe burns, and many had been taken to Valais hospital.
Officials closed off the area around Le Constellation bar to the public and imposed a no-fly zone over Crans-Montana. Lathion stated that a reception centre and a helpline, reachable at +41 848 112 117, had been set up to support affected families. He said the intervention at the site was still ongoing.
Investigation Focus and Official Statements
Authorities said they had no evidence at this stage that the fire was caused by arson or sabotage. Beatrice Pilloud, prosecutor-general of the Valais canton, told a news conference that investigators were currently favouring a fire and that there was no indication of any attack.
Lathion noted that the investigation was at an early stage and highlighted that Crans-Montana is an internationally renowned ski resort with many tourists. He confirmed that specialist teams were working to clarify the circumstances of the explosion and subsequent blaze.
Guy Parmelin, president of the Swiss confederation, wrote in a post on X on Thursday that what was intended as a joyful moment on the first day of the year in Crans-Montana had turned into a period of mourning affecting the entire country and beyond.
Context of Major Fire Incidents in Switzerland
Authorities indicated that the fire at Le Constellation is likely the deadliest incident of its kind in modern Swiss history. Officials also noted that devastating fires and explosions remain relatively uncommon in Switzerland.
They recalled that in June 2024 two people were found dead following a blast in an underground parking garage at an apartment building in northern Switzerland, which also injured 11 people. In that case, police told local media the explosion was caused by homemade fireworks.
Officials further cited the Mitholz Ammunition Depot explosion of December 1947, when 3,000 tonnes of Swiss army ammunition from World War II detonated in the mountains above Mitholz, killing nine people and injuring several others. Another noted incident occurred in February 1970, when a bomb exploded on a Swissair flight bound for Israel, killing 39 passengers and nine crew members. The perpetrators in that attack were never definitively identified.