40 Dead, 115 Injured After Deadly Fire at Swiss Alpine Resort

The Crans-Montana resort, where the incident occurred, is one of the most famous in Switzerland, having hosted major ski events like the World Cup ski races and golf events, like the Omega European Masters golf tournament. Known for its gourmet dining options, high-end shopping opportunities, and incredible views of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc in southwestern Switzerland, Crans-Montana is often sold out during the holiday season.

Unfortunately, celebrations quickly turned into tragedy early on Thursday morning, around 1:30 am– just one and a half hours after 2026 had begun. The resort's Le Constellation bar was packed with party-goers commemorating the New Year when a fire broke out in the basement nightclub below the bar, rapidly engulfing the building in towering flames.

People scrambled to escape, but many were taken by the flames, while others suffocated from smoke inhalation before they could reach fresh air. Survivors described having to break windows to escape alive, with others comparing it to a scene in a horror film. Within minutes, police cars arrived on the scene, along with over 40 ambulances and at least 10 helicopters.

The town's on-site hospital was quickly overwhelmed with patients, forcing first responders to transport victims to other locations. Around 10 people were taken to the hospital at Zurich University, while another 22 people were taken care of at Lausanne, a city near Geneva.

Many of the partiers were under the age of 18, and officials have confirmed that at least 13 of those injured are Italian nationals. Six Italians are still missing, as well. In total, at least 40 people have been confirmed dead, and over 115 others are injured, but rescue teams are still searching through the wreckage for dozens of missing victims. According to officials, it could take days to identify all of those killed in the fire.

Authorities have stated that the fire does not appear to be an attack, but investigations have not yet begun. They have asserted that they will look into the bar's maximum capacity and its emergency exits, and forensics teams are already on-site.

According to CNN, some experts believe the cause could be attributed to an incident known as a "flashover," where a pre-existing fire causes hot gases to rise to the ceiling of a room. Those hot gases begin to radiate heat downward, heating everything in the room until all flammable materials in the room combust simultaneously. This sort of event would cause an incredibly hot explosion with temperatures up to 1000°F– impossible for anyone inside to survive.

However, according to local French news station BMFTV, reports from two different survivors of the fire confirmed that a woman inside the bar had been holding a champagne bottle with a lit sparkler inside, which could have contributed to the fire.

Switzerland will hold five days of mourning for the victims of the fire, with all flags flying at half-mast during what is usually one of the happiest times of year in the tourist hotspot.