Minute by minute/ How the tragedy in Switzerland happened that left 47 victims; many others still missing

The situation after the tragedy

Grievous details are slowly emerging from the tragedy in Crans-Montana, where a fire at the Le Constellation bar claimed the lives of 47 people. An Italian-speaking woman employed by a cleaning company in the area told Swiss media outlet Blick that the bar “had no emergency exits” and was built on two floors, making escape impossible for many young people. “Those guys had no chance,” she said.

According to BFMTV, the owners of the bar are a French couple who have lived in the tourist area for about ten years and own two other bars. The owner was in the bar at the time of the fire and suffered burns on her arm, while her husband was in another bar.

Among the testimonies that have touched public opinion are those of two girls in their 20s from Piedmont, Italy, who narrowly escaped the tragedy. They had just arrived to celebrate the New Year and were entering the bar through the stairs when they saw the flames and managed to escape. Another girl said that she stopped just before the entrance after hearing the cries of "fire" and seeing people coming out with burnt skin.

Swiss authorities are continuing investigations into the causes of the fire and compliance with safety standards, while new evidence has raised suspicions of serious violations in fire protection.

Tributes in honor of the victims

The death toll from a fire at a ski resort in Switzerland has risen to 47.

The Italian Foreign Ministry told the BBC that 16 Italian citizens are currently missing after the fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.

A ministry spokesman says between 12 and 15 others have been hospitalized and are currently receiving treatment.

Three of them have suffered "severe burns" and will be transported to Italy soon, they add.

Festimet e Vitit të Ri u shndërruan në tragjedi në Zvicër, pasi një zjarr i madh shpërtheu në orët e para të mëngjesit në një resort skish, duke shkaktuar dhjetëra viktima dhe rreth 100 të plagosur.

Zjarri shpërtheu rreth orës 01:30 të mëngjesit në barin Le Constellation, në Crans-Montana, një nga destinacionet më ekskluzive alpine të vendit.

Çfarë ndodhi?

Sipas zëdhënësit të policisë, Gaetan Lathion, në momentin e shpërthimit të zjarrit ndodheshin rreth 100 persona brenda lokalit, ndërsa dëshmitarët flasin për deri në 200 festues. Lokali ndodhet në qendër të resortit, pranë stacionit të teleferikut dhe ka kapacitet deri në 300 persona.

Dëshmitarë okularë thanë për median franceze "BFMTV" se zjarri mund të jetë shkaktuar nga fishekzjarrë të vendosur mbi shishe shampanje, të cilat u afruan shumë pranë tavanit gjatë festës.

Autoritetet kanë përjashtuar një akt terrorist dhe po e trajtojnë ngjarjen si një zjarr aksidental. Prokurorja Béatrice Pilloud u shpreh se është ende herët për të përcaktuar shkakun e saktë dhe se hetimi do të zgjasë.

Viktimat dhe reagimi i autoriteteve

Autoritetet zvicerane nuk kanë dhënë ende një shifër zyrtare për viktimat, por policia konfirmoi se “dhjetëra persona dyshohet se kanë humbur jetën”. Ministria e Jashtme e Italisë, duke cituar policinë zvicerane, tha se rreth 40 persona kanë vdekur, ndërsa identifikimi i viktimave është i vështirë për shkak të djegieve të rënda.

Presidenti i Këshillit të Shtetit, Mathias Reynard, e përshkroi ngjarjen si një “makth”, ndërsa presidenti zviceran Guy Parmelin shprehu ngushëllimet për familjet e viktimave dhe shtyu fjalimin tradicional të Vitit të Ri në shenjë zie.

Ngushëllime shprehën edhe liderë ndërkombëtarë, përfshirë presidentin francez Emmanuel Macron, ndërsa autoritetet franceze konfirmuan se dy shtetas francezë janë mes të plagosurve.

Zona e incidentit është mbyllur, operacionet e emergjencës vijojnë dhe mbi Crans-Montana është vendosur ndalim fluturimi.

Drejtoresha e Spitalit Universitar të Lozanës deklaroi se deri më tani kanë marrë përsipër 22 persona.

Claire Charmet u shpreh për gazetën zvicerane "24 Heures" se pacientët, mesatarisht të moshës 16 deri në 26 vjeç, janë rastet më serioze. Charmet theksoi se "rikuperimi do të jetë një proces i gjatë dhe intensiv, që do të zgjasë disa javë, ndoshta edhe muaj”.

Ajo shton se është “shumë herët për të përcaktuar” nëse ndonjë nga pacientët është në rrezik, duke thënë se përparësia ka qenë “pritja e pacientëve, identifikimi i tyre, lidhja e tyre me familjet e tyre dhe sigurimi që procesi i kujdesit po funksionon”.

Ku ndodhet Crans-Montana?

Crans-Montana është një nga resortet më të njohura alpine të Zvicrës, që pret rreth 3 milionë vizitorë në vit, një pjesë e madhe e të cilëve janë turistë të huaj nga Franca, Italia, Britania e Madhe dhe SHBA.

Resorti ndodhet rreth 1,500 metra mbi nivelin e detit, ofron pamje panoramike alpine nga Matterhorn deri te Mont Blanc dhe është i njohur për pistat e skive, restorantet luksoze dhe jetën aktive pas skijimit.

Zona ka rreth 15 mijë banorë dhe konsiderohet një destinacion i qetë për të famshëm dhe sportistë. Crans-Montana ka pritur Kampionatin Botëror të Skijimit Alpin në vitin 1987 dhe do të presë sërish këtë event në vitin 2027.

According to the latest figures, local authorities report that around 40 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured at the Le Constellation bar, which was engulfed in flames at around 1:30 a.m. on New Year's Day.

A witness has spoken to Sky News as he shows horrific footage from the devastating explosion at a ski resort in southern Switzerland. 

"A lot of people were screaming, it was horrible,"  said Leah Boleto.

The resident says most people inside the bar tried to escape through the main exit, with New Year's Eve revellers and staff leaving immediately. 

"People were screaming, I saw a lot of people on the floor. I think some were dead after someone put a jacket in someone's face," he added.

Rapp describes hearing the voices of those on the floor calling for medical help and says he saw people "without hair because they were burning."

Asked what demographic group of people was at Le Constellation, he says: "Everyone in the world comes here. A lot from England, some from all over Switzerland."

"It's terrible. There were people there aged 16 to 18," the witness concludes.

CNN reports that according to two witnesses, the deadly fire in Crans-Montana was caused by fireworks placed in champagne bottles.

"There were waitresses holding champagne bottles with fireworks on them and they took them close to the ceiling, which caused it to catch fire," said a witness.

"As soon as the ceiling caught fire, within about ten seconds the whole nightclub was engulfed in flames. We all ran outside screaming and when we came back, there were flames," another witness said.

Scenes from the explosion in Switzerland

Local media report that the toll could be even higher, while an anonymous source quoted by RhoneFM radio speaks of up to 40 victims.

New details have emerged from the major explosion in Switzerland, where 10 people lost their lives and over 100 others were injured.

The explosion occurred at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, one of the most popular ski resorts.               

In an official statement, the Valais cantonal police confirmed that the explosion was followed by a large fire in the bar's premises, causing many casualties. Local media report that the toll could be even higher, while an anonymous source quoted by RhoneFM radio speaks of up to 40 victims , a figure that has not been officially confirmed.

The incident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. local time, at the height of New Year's celebrations. The surrounding area has been completely cordoned off by authorities, while police have also imposed a temporary flight ban over Crans-Montana for security reasons.

Footage broadcast by Swiss media shows the building engulfed in flames, as well as the presence of numerous rescue forces, ambulances and firefighters at the scene.

Explosion at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana

Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesman in the canton of Valais, in southwestern Switzerland, said: “I confirm that there are several dead and we are seeing many injured… The intervention is still ongoing.” Swiss media speculated that the explosion may have been caused by fireworks, but police have not confirmed this theory. 

Witnesses told Swiss radio station Rhône FM that "countless" ambulances and several helicopters were rushing the injured to hospitals.

Lathion said investigators were trying to determine the cause of the explosion.

"We are only at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with many tourists," he said. He added that a reception center and helpline had been set up for affected families.

According to Swiss media outlet Blick, more than 100 people were inside the bar at the time of the explosion. The bar had a maximum capacity of around 400 people. Authorities are investigating whether safety regulations and the permitted capacity limit were respected. 

Photos from the scene after the explosion

The venue included an upper floor with screens for broadcasting sports matches and a large basement with a bar and dance floor, where the main part of the night's activity took place. According to a former customer quoted by Blick, the basement only had one emergency exit, while the number of customers may not have been strictly monitored. Investigations into the causes of the explosion and fire are ongoing, and authorities are expected to provide more details in the coming hours and days.

Photo from the event

Huge explosion at Swiss ski resort kills 10

At least 10 people have lost their lives as a result of the treatment.

A massive explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning of the first day of 2026 at a bar in Crans-Montana, a popular ski resort in Switzerland. At least 10 people have died as a result of the explosion.

According to Sky News reports, citing sources from local police in the canton of Valais, over 100 people have been injured, while authorities have announced that the event is not being treated as a terrorist act.

The explosion occurred at around 01:30 local time in the Le Constellation bar, which is frequented mainly by tourists during New Year's celebrations. After the explosion, a large fire broke out in the building, which was brought under control several hours later by firefighters. Images published by Swiss media show the building engulfed in flames.

Photos from the explosion in Switzerland

Multiple rescue teams, ambulances and firefighters were called to the scene, while authorities imposed a temporary flight ban over the area. According to a police spokesman, more than 100 people were inside the bar at the time of the explosion.

Swiss public broadcaster RTS reported that the explosion occurred in the basement of the facility, while the maximum capacity of the bar was about 400 people.

Swiss newspaper Blick suggests the fire may have been caused by fireworks used during a concert, but police have not yet issued an official statement on the cause of the tragedy. Investigations are ongoing.

Crans-Montana is a luxury ski resort in the Swiss Alps, about two hours from Bern. According to the BBC, the area is set to host a FIS World Cup race at the end of January.