Officials say at least 115 others were injured after flames swept through a crowded basement venue in Crans-Montana.
CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND — A pre-dawn fire ripped through a packed bar during New Year’s festivities early Thursday, killing about 40 people and injuring at least 115 others at this upscale ski resort in the Swiss Alps, authorities said. The blaze erupted around 1:30 a.m. inside Le Constellation, a basement venue off a main street lined with hotels and boutiques.
The incident is among the deadliest peacetime disasters in recent Swiss memory and immediately overwhelmed local emergency services. Valais cantonal police led the response, drawing ambulances and helicopters from across the region as doctors treated severe burns and smoke inhalation. Officials said the cause remains under investigation but emphasized there was no indication of a deliberate attack. Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the fire “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known,” as families scrambled for information and authorities began the difficult process of identifying victims and notifying relatives.
Witnesses described a sudden rush of heat and smoke as the celebration reached its peak. Partygoers said the wooden ceiling in part of the club caught fire and flames spread quickly across the low interior. Some patrons smashed windows to crawl into the freezing street; others jammed at a narrow staircase that served as the main exit. “People were screaming and falling,” said a 21-year-old local who saw rescuers pull bodies onto the sidewalk. Police said first calls came shortly after 1:30 a.m., and firefighters arrived within minutes to find heavy smoke pouring from the building. By dawn, the street was sealed with white forensic screens as rescuers worked under floodlights and triage tents.
Officials said the victims include young people from multiple countries who had come to the resort for the holiday week. Police Commander Frédéric Gisler said roughly 40 people were presumed dead and 115 were injured, most of them seriously. The Valais attorney general, Béatrice Pilloud, opened a criminal inquiry to determine how the blaze started and whether safety rules were followed. Two women who were inside told reporters the flames appeared to ignite near the ceiling after a bottle topped with decorative “fountain” candles was held aloft, but investigators have not confirmed that account. Parmelin offered condolences and said federal support had been mobilized. Local hospitals reached capacity, prompting transfers to burn centers in Lausanne, Zurich and other cities.
Crans-Montana is a prominent Alpine destination known for winter sports and high-end hotels, and it is slated to host the 2027 Alpine World Ski Championships. The resort has seen large holiday crowds in recent days, with bars and clubs running late into the night for New Year’s events. Thursday’s disaster recalled earlier tragedies in the region, including a 2012 bus crash near Sierre that killed schoolchildren returning to Belgium. Residents said the narrow lanes and older buildings in the resort’s center can complicate access for large fire engines, especially when streets are filled with revelers. Authorities said they would review evacuation routes and occupancy limits as part of the probe.
Police said identification of the dead will take time because of fire damage and the number of nationalities involved. Forensic specialists from across Switzerland joined the effort, and officials asked nearby communities to avoid nonessential visits to emergency rooms while the surge of patients is handled. The prosecutor’s office will examine building permits, inspection records and staffing logs from the venue. Pilloud said it was too early to discuss potential charges. Officials promised periodic updates as investigators collect CCTV footage, interview survivors and reconstruct the fire’s path through the club. Autopsies and formal identification procedures are underway, with the first official list of victims expected after families are notified.
By midmorning, the cordoned street was quiet except for the rumble of generators and the whir of helicopter rotors overhead. Small groups wept near police lines, clutching scarves and ski jackets against the cold. “What should have been a moment of joy turned into mourning,” Parmelin said in a statement. A café across from the bar handed out hot drinks to first responders; a few residents placed candles along a snowbank facing the building’s blackened façade. “We are devastated,” said Stéphane Ganzer, the Valais security chief, praising firefighters who pushed into the smoke-filled basement. A hotel clerk nearby said guests spent the early hours phoning friends who had gone out to celebrate, many calls going unanswered.
As of Thursday evening, the death toll stood at about 40 with 115 injured, and authorities said recovery and identification work would continue through the night. Police planned to brief reporters again on Friday as investigators sift debris and gather witness statements.
Author note: Last updated January 1, 2026.