40 Killed, 115 Injured In Fire At Swiss Ski Resort Bar During New Year Party

The fire started at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) at Constellation Bar, which is popular with tourists, as revellers rang in the new year.

01 Jan 2026, 06:19 · NDTV

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The fire started around 1:30 am local time at Le Constellation Bar as revellers rang in the new year
A police official said the majority of casualties are believed to be tourists
Police and fire services, as well as several helicopters, were deployed for rescue efforts

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About 40 people were killed and another 115 injured in a massive fire at a bar in Switzerland's Crans Montana. The blaze ripped through a bar called Le Constellation in the luxury Alpine ski resort town during New Year's celebrations, Swiss police said on Thursday.

"We count around 40 people who have died and around 115 injured, most of them seriously," Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told reporters. He added that the work is underway to identify the victims and inform their families. Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the fire as "one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced".

Police clarified that it was not a terrorist attack but a fire incident. The fire started at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) at Constellation Bar, which is popular with tourists, as revellers rang in the new year.

“This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare,” Mathias Reynard, head of the regional government of the Valais Canton said. He added that the injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity.

'Over 100 People Were At The Bar'

"The majority of casualties are believed to be tourists, who came to Crans-Montana for the holiday season. More than a hundred people were in the bar at the time of the explosion," a police spokesperson said earlier.

ALSO READ: All About Crans Montana, Swiss Ski Town Where Bar Fire Killed 40 People

Fire Video

Unverified images and videos circulating on social media showed a fire burning at a bar where New Year's Eve celebrations had been taking place.

About Crans-Montana Ski Resort

Crans-Montana is a luxury ski resort town located in the heart of the Alps in the region of Valais, approximately two hours from the Swiss capital of Bern. The town, which is home to 87 miles of trails, is popular with British tourists. According to the BBC, at the end of January, the Crans-Montana resort is due to host a speed skiing event called the FIS World Cup.

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