A deadly explosion at a New Year’s Eve party in Crans-Montana’s “Le Constellation” bar has killed at least 40 people and left around 100 others injured, many seriously, Swiss authorities said Thursday.
The blast struck shortly after 1:30 a.m. local time (00:30 GMT) in the upscale southwestern ski resort. Officials said the cause is under investigation but appears accidental.
“At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the possibility of an attack,” prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said, adding that a full investigation is underway.
Some victims were foreigners, according to Stephane Ganzer, head of security for Valais canton. Frederic Gisler, the canton’s police chief, described the incident as shocking.
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“I can’t hide from you that we are all shaken by what happened overnight in Crans,” Gisler said. “Our count is about 100 injured, most seriously, and unfortunately tens of people are presumed dead.”
Patients have been sent to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva, and Zurich, while 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances were deployed. A no-fly zone has been imposed over the area.
Swiss Federal President Guy Parmelin expressed condolences on X: “What was meant to be a moment of joy turned, on the first day of the year in Crans-Montana, into mourning that touches the entire country and far beyond.”
Pilloud said forensic teams are working to identify victims and return their remains to families promptly. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani suggested fireworks may have triggered the explosion: “It seems to have been an accident caused by a fire, by some explosion, by some firecracker thrown during New Year’s celebrations,” he said.