New Year celebrations in Switzerland turned tragic on Thursday, with dozens of people dead and more than 100 injured in a fire at an Alpine ski resort in what officials are calling one of the worst tragedies in the country’s history.
What happened?
The fire broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, a luxury ski resort. Le Constellation has two bars, a dedicated shisha smoking area, and a capacity of 300 people, with terrace space for 40, according to its website.
Valais Cantonal Police Commander Frédéric Gisler said emergency services were alerted around 1.30am local time and were on scene within two minutes, quickly supported by firefighters and other responders.
Investigators are looking into the possibility of a flashover, where hot gases ignite everything in a room simultaneously. Two witnesses told CNN affiliate BFMTV that the incident occurred after sparklers were placed in champagne bottles and raised in the air.
“There were waitresses carrying champagne bottles with sparklers on them, and they carried them close to the ceiling,” one eyewitness said. Another reveller added that a waitress was standing on another’s shoulders, with the bottle and flames just centimetres from the ceiling. “Once the ceiling was on fire, within about 10 seconds the entire nightclub was on fire,” the first eyewitness said.
Attorney General Béatrice Pilloud said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire or comment on reports that a sparkler was the ignition source. The investigation will also determine if safety standards were met, particularly regarding the staircase between the bar’s two floors.
An apparent promotional video for the bar shows women carrying bottles of alcohol topped with sparklers. CNN has requested comment from Le Constellation regarding the fire and the use of sparklers.
Another eyewitness, Samuel Rapp, recalled hearing people shouting as the fire spread. “There were people screaming, and then people lying on the ground, probably dead,” he told Reuters. “They had jackets over their faces. Then I received videos where people were trying to get out, but they were trampling over each other, so it was hard to get out through the exit. And there were people shouting, saying, ‘Help me. Please help us.'”
How many people lost their lives?
Around 40 people were killed and 115 injured, many severely, police said Thursday evening. Authorities are still working to identify all of the deceased and injured, who are likely of several different nationalities. It could “take several days” to identify all of the victims.
President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin said the incident represented a “tragic loss that touches the whole country and far beyond,” offering his condolences to the victims and their families. He postponed a traditional New Year’s address out of respect for the victims.
French President Emmanuel Macron also offered his condolences, saying Switzerland has “the full solidarity of France and our fraternal support”.
Where are the injured being treated?
The number of injured has overwhelmed the local medical system in the Valais canton, with patients being transported to hospitals across the country and abroad. Of the 115 injured, a “significant number” are in “critical” condition.
Eighty people were treated by emergency services and taken to hospital, while 35 came to hospitals on their own. Sixty people are being treated in Sion, while others have been transferred to medical centres around the country, including specialist major burns centres in Lausanne and Zurich.
Italy’s Niguarda Hospital in Milan is set to receive several patients. Fifteen Italian nationals are in hospital after being injured, and “as many” remain unaccounted for. Two French nationals are among the injured and have been taken into care by emergency services. Consular teams are in contact with Swiss authorities regarding other French nationals.
Where is Crans-Montana?
The Crans-Montana resort welcomes around three million visitors a year, roughly a fifth from abroad – most from France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is located 1500 metres above sea level in the Rhone Valley and offers views from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc.
The area, with a population of around 15,000, is known for its year-round sunshine, high-end shopping, fine dining, extensive ski slopes, and lively après-ski scene.
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