Deadly Explosion at Swiss Ski Resort Kills Dozens, Injures Many During New Year Celebration

A powerful explosion rocked a luxury ski resort in Crans-Montana, southwestern Switzerland, during New Year’s celebrations, leaving at least 40 people dead and over 100 injured, authorities said on Thursday. Many of the wounded are reported to be in serious condition.

The blast occurred inside the resort’s bar, La Constellation, around 1:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday night (12:30 GMT), when the venue was crowded with people celebrating the New Year. The explosion sparked a fire that quickly spread within the bar.

Emergency services, including police, firefighters, and rescue teams, arrived promptly to help evacuate the injured and bring the situation under control.

Initially, authorities did not release casualty figures, but a police spokesperson confirmed that more than a hundred people were inside the bar at the time of the incident.

At a later press conference, prosecutor Beatrice Piloud said the case is currently being treated as an accidental fire rather than a deliberate attack. “According to our information, around 100 people have been injured, many seriously. Unfortunately, several fatalities are assumed,” Piloud stated.

The injured have been taken to hospitals across Sion, Lausanne, Geneva, and Zurich.

Valais canton security chief Stefan Ganzer confirmed that some of the victims were foreign nationals. Canton police chief Frederic Gisler added that a hotline has been set up to assist the families of those affected.

While Swiss authorities have not officially confirmed the death toll, the Italian foreign ministry cited local sources reporting approximately 40 fatalities.

The area around the resort has been cordoned off, and aerial flights over the site are temporarily prohibited.