What we know about deadly New Year’s fire at Swiss ski resort

Dozens of people are presumed dead and around 100 others have been injured after a fire during New Year’s Eve celebrations at a bar in the Swiss Alps.

The tragedy occurred during the early hours of Thursday at Le Constellation, a bar in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana.

Here is what we know so far.

Follow latest: Several dozen feared dead in fire

How many people have died or been injured?

Dozens of people are thought to have been killed in the blaze, Swiss police said at a news conference on Thursday morning.

Around 100 others have also been hurt, with the majority of those seriously injured.

“This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare,” said Mathias Renard, head of the regional government.

Authorities have not confirmed an exact number of fatalities, although the Italian foreign ministry said Swiss authorities had reported at least 40 deaths to it.

The Italian foreign ministry added that many victims can’t be identified due to the severe burns on their bodies.

The intensive care unit of the local hospital is full, Mr Renard said at the news conference. Patients are being transferred to other facilities around the country.

He said 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances were mobilised after the alarm was raised.

A witness who spoke to French broadcaster BFMTV said people smashed windows to try to escape the blaze as parents rushed to the scene in cars to see whether their children were trapped inside.

The witness, who said he watched from across the street, likened what he saw to a horror movie.

What are the nationalities of the victims?

The Swiss authorities said some of the victims are from other countries, but the nationalities and identities of those killed and injured are yet to be confirmed.

Two French nationals are among the injured, France’s foreign ministry said.

The UK embassy to Switzerland said: “We continue to monitor the situation. Whilst we have not been approached for assistance, our staff stand ready to support British nationals abroad 24/7.”

Where did the incident happen?

The bar is in Crans-Montana, in the Valais region at the heart of the Swiss Alps, which is popular with British tourists and skiers from across Europe.

It is just 40km (25m) north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and approximately two hours from the Swiss capital of Bern.

What happened?

The incident occurred at around 1.30am local time (12.30am UK time) while guests were celebrating the start of 2026.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at the moment, but officials have ruled out an attack.

Earlier reports in Swiss news outlet Blick suggest it may have been caused by pyrotechnics during a concert.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking to Italy’s Sky TG24, said the fire may have been caused by fireworks – but stressed the situation remained unclear.

“It seems to have been a tragedy caused by a fire, by some kind of explosion, by some firecracker thrown during New Year’s celebrations,” he said.

Is the incident being treated as terror-related?

No. Swiss authorities confirmed the incident is being treated as a fire and not an attack.

“At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the ‍possibility of an attack,” prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said at a press conference.

Authorities have opened a full investigation.