Friday | 2nd January 2026
New Year celebrations descended into catastrophe in Switzerland in the early hours of Thursday when a devastating fire ripped through a crowded bar at one of the country’s most exclusive Alpine ski resorts, killing around 40 people and injuring more than 100 others. Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the incident as one of the gravest tragedies the nation has faced in recent decades.
The blaze erupted shortly after 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Le Constellation, a popular basement bar in Crans-Montana, a luxury resort town in the canton of Valais. The venue was packed with mostly young revelers celebrating the arrival of 2026 when smoke was first noticed, according to Valais Cantonal Police Commander Frédéric Gisler.
Within moments, the fire spread rapidly across the ceiling, triggering panic and chaos. Videos obtained and verified by CNN show flames racing overhead as crowds desperately surged toward a narrow staircase leading to the exit. In other footage, people can be seen smashing windows and tumbling out onto the street below in frantic attempts to escape. Outside, several victims lay motionless on the ground as bystanders rushed to provide first aid.
Survivors described scenes of terror inside the bar. Laetitia Place, 17, told Reuters that people were pushing frantically to get through a small door. “We all fell, we were piled on top of each other. Some people were burning, and some were dead next to us,” she said. Another eyewitness, local resident Samuel Rapp, recalled hearing screams as the fire tore through the venue. “There were people shouting, then people lying on the ground, probably dead, with jackets over their faces,” he said.
Witnesses estimated that at least 200 people were inside Le Constellation at the time of the fire, though authorities said the exact number of attendees remains unknown and will be determined as part of the investigation. Officials believe the rapid spread of the fire may have been caused by a phenomenon known as a flashover, in which hot gases ignite combustible materials almost simultaneously, engulfing an entire room within seconds.
Two witnesses told CNN affiliate BFMTV that sparklers placed in champagne bottles may have sparked the blaze. One eyewitness said a waitress was standing on another waiter’s shoulders while holding a bottle topped with sparklers, with flames coming within centimeters of the ceiling. “Once the ceiling was on fire, within about 10 seconds the entire nightclub was on fire,” another survivor said. However, Attorney General Béatrice Pilloud cautioned that it is too early to determine the cause, stressing that investigators need time to establish exactly what triggered the inferno.
Police have ruled out terrorism, confirming the incident is being treated as an accidental fire. A criminal investigation is underway to examine whether safety regulations were followed, including occupancy limits, fire prevention measures, and the availability of emergency exits. An apparent promotional video posted by the bar in May 2024, showing staff carrying bottles topped with sparklers, has drawn renewed scrutiny, though Le Constellation has not yet commented publicly.
As rescue efforts continued into Friday, families of the missing faced an agonizing wait. Swiss authorities said identifying the victims—many of whom are foreign nationals—could take several days. Among the injured are at least 15 Italians, nine French citizens, and one Australian, according to officials in those countries. Italy’s foreign ministry said several Italians remain unaccounted for, while France has not ruled out that its citizens may be among the dead. Of the 115 people injured, a significant number are in critical condition, said Valais State Council President Mathias Reynard.
President Parmelin, who had just begun his one-year term as Swiss head of state on New Year’s Day, postponed a traditional national address out of respect for the victims. “This is a tragic loss that touches the whole country and far beyond,” he said, adding that many of those killed were young people “full of plans, hope, and dreams.”
Condolences poured in from around the world. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed France’s “full solidarity and fraternal support” for Switzerland. The US Embassy in Bern said it was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy, while Britain’s King Charles III said he was “appalled and greatly saddened” by the loss of life.
On Thursday night, dozens of mourners gathered near the burned-out bar for a candlelight vigil, laying flowers and comforting one another. “You think you’re safe here, but this can happen anywhere,” said Piermarco Pani, 18. “They were people like us.”
Crans-Montana is a renowned Alpine destination that attracts around 3 million visitors annually, roughly one-fifth of them from abroad, particularly France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Situated on a south-facing plateau 1,500 meters above sea level in the Rhône Valley, the resort is known for its panoramic views stretching from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc, as well as its luxury shopping, fine dining, and vibrant après-ski nightlife. Despite its global reputation, the town has a small population of about 15,000 and is often described as a close-knit community.
As Switzerland mourns, authorities say the focus now remains on supporting victims and their families, while ensuring a thorough investigation to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
