What Led To Explosion At Swiss Bar Leaving Dozens Dead And 100 Injured? DNA Decodes

A deadly explosion and fire at a New Year celebration in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana has left more than 40 people feared dead, with authorities yet to confirm the cause or exact toll.

A powerful explosion followed by a major fire has killed more than 40 people at a bar in the Swiss resort town of Crans-Montana, casting a shadow over New Year celebrations and raising serious questions over the lack of official information hours after the incident.

In today’s episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of the incident, focusing on the sequence of events, the scale of casualties and the unanswered questions surrounding the blast, which occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The blast occurred at around 1:30am local time, approximately 90 minutes after the New Year began in Switzerland. According to Indian time, the explosion took place at 6am. The incident happened at the Constellation Lounge Bar, where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate. Following the explosion, a fire broke out and spread rapidly, leaving many patrons with little or no chance to escape.

Initial investigations suggest the explosion originated in the basement of the bar. However, Swiss police and authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the blast. Nearly 15 hours after the incident, no official explanation has been provided, with police stating only that the investigation is at an early stage.

There is also no official confirmation from Swiss authorities regarding the death toll. Police have referred to “dozens” of fatalities, while Italy’s Foreign Ministry has stated that more than 40 people were killed and over 100 injured. Notably, information about casualties has come from Italy rather than Swiss officials. Several of the victims are believed to be foreign nationals, and identification efforts are ongoing due to the severity of burn injuries.

The incident is being described as one of the deadliest in Switzerland in recent decades. The country is widely regarded as one of the safest in Europe, and events involving such a high number of casualties are extremely rare. This has further intensified scrutiny of the slow flow of information from authorities.

The delay in official communication has drawn comparisons with the handling of a separate incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where police were also criticised for releasing details about the attackers, their background and motive only after a significant delay.

Crans-Montana, located in the Swiss Alps around two hours from the capital Bern, is a luxury ski resort known for year-round sunshine. Home to roughly 15,000 residents, it is among Switzerland’s most expensive regions and attracts nearly three million tourists annually, around 20 per cent of whom are foreign visitors.

While the tragedy has shaken Switzerland’s reputation as a safe destination, the absence of clear information about the cause of the explosion has deepened concerns. Authorities insist investigations are ongoing, but for now, key questions about what triggered the deadly blast remain unanswered.