Thu Jan 01 15:38:28 UTC 2026: ## Headline: New Year’s Eve Fire at Swiss Bar Leaves Dozens Feared Dead, Over 100 Injured
Crans-Montana, Switzerland – A devastating fire ripped through a New Year’s Eve celebration at Le Constellation bar in the luxury Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, leaving dozens feared dead and over 100 injured, many seriously. The incident occurred shortly after midnight, casting a pall over the New Year celebrations and prompting a massive emergency response.
Valais Canton police commander Frederic Gisler confirmed at a news conference that several tens of people are presumed dead. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, eyewitnesses Emma and Albane, two French nationals who were celebrating at the bar, told BFMTV that the blaze began when a waitress held champagne bottles adorned with lit birthday candles too close to the wooden ceiling. They described how the entire ceiling quickly became engulfed in flames.
“Everything was made of wood,” they reported, adding that the fire spread rapidly, quickly consuming the ceiling and even reaching the first floor.
The narrow escape route and even narrower stairs leading outside created a chaotic scene as approximately 200 people attempted to evacuate the bar within a mere 30 seconds. The BBC reports that most of the victims are aged between 16 and 26.
Valais Canton attorney general Beatrice Pilloud cautioned that it is too early to determine the definitive cause of the fire. However, authorities have confirmed that it was not a terrorist attack.
The sheer number of injured quickly overwhelmed the capacity of the regional hospital’s intensive care unit and operating theatre, according to Mathias Renard, head of the regional government.
A no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana and the area around the bar has been completely closed off as investigations continue.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed his condolences in a social media post, stating that the government’s thoughts are with the victims, the injured, and their families.
Crans-Montana, a popular ski resort located in the heart of the Alps in the Valais region, is approximately two hours from the Swiss capital of Bern. The tragedy has shocked the community and left a somber atmosphere in the usually vibrant resort town.
First Piper 