Around 40 dead and 100 injured in horror New Year’s Eve blast ‘sparked by champagne sparklers’ at Swiss ski resort bar
The death toll may still rise in the coming hours in the town popular with Brit tourists
AROUND 40 people have been killed in an explosion at a ski resort bar in Switzerland with at least 100 injured, police say.
Terrified witnesses believe the deadly fire was sparked by champagne sparklers which set fire to the roof of the packed tourist bar in Crans-Montana, Valais.
A fire erupted as revellers welcomed in the New Year sending panicked party-goers “screaming and running” to flee the burning venue.
What we know so far…
- Dozens killed and over 100 injured, cops say
- Explosion erupted at around 1:30am followed by a fire
- Hospitals “overwhelmed with burn victims”
- Tragedy not being treated as an attack
- No-fly zone in place across Crans-Montana
It is understood the fire sparked a flashover blast as the flames ripped through the wooden ceiling of the bar.
Chief of the Valais Cantonal Police, Frédéric Gisler, announced that “dozens of people are presumed to have died” in the horror blast in the Le Constellation Bar.
An exact death toll hasn’t been confirmed but the Italian foreign ministry said information from Swiss police indicates around 40 deaths.
Gisler added that “100 or so” are injured with some being “significantly” wounded with a range of burns.
The nationalities of the victims remain unknown but it is likely that they came from several different nations, Gisler confirmed.
It is expected to take weeks to identify the dead, according to the Italian ambassador.
A fire was first reported at 1.30am local time (12.30am UK time) after locals noticed smoke coming from the venue.
Investigations into what caused the fire are ongoing but witnesses inside the bar claim champagne sparklers set fire to the roof.
Two young French women said waitresses were carrying bottles with sparklers inside them through the venue before one caught on the ceiling.
One of the women told BFM TV: “During the evening, a waiter climbed onto another waiter’s shoulders.
“He was holding a birthday candle, which was very close to the ceiling, and [the ceiling] caught fire.
“In a few dozen seconds, the whole ceiling was on fire. Everything was made of wood.”
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Officials are yet to confirm this theory but do believe a fire caused a “flashover” eruption.
Swiss officials called the blaze an embrasement gnralis – better known as a flashover – which can cause an inferno to rapidly spread in an enclosed space.
A flashover is formed when several combustible surfaces ignite nearly simultaneously often triggered by a surge in temperature of the air.
Revellers ran to the single narrow staircase exit to try and escape with witnesses saying they were “thrown down the stairs” by a surge of the crowd.
Others frantically smashed through windows to climb out, witnesses recall.
The two women say that it appeared as though “around 200 people, including minors,” were at the New Years event.
The venue can hold over 300 people with the bar reportedly being located in the basement.
Police do not believe the fire was caused by a direct attack but an official reason is yet to be announced as investigations continue.
State Council President Mathias Reynard said: “This evening should have been a moment of celebration – it turned into a nightmare that cost the lives of many people.”
Gisler, added: “I cannot hide from you that we are stunned by what happened.
“On behalf of the Valais police, I would like to extend my sympathy to victims and families.”
No Brits have been identified as of yet but two French nationals have been confirmed as having sustained injuries.
The UK embassy in Bern say they are ready to help should a British national need it.
Footage taken outside the bar show plumes of smoke billowing from the building as emergency vehicles rush to the scene.
Ten helicopters, 40 ambulances and 150 emergency responders were all deployed to battle the flames and rescue victims.
The intensive care unit at Valais hospital is full, Gisler said.
A doctor in the Swiss air ambulance and rescue service broadcaster RTS said that hospitals are “overwhelmed with burn victims”.
They have urged locals to avoid using the emergency services as best they can for the next few hours.
Switzerland’s State Council has now declared a state of emergency.
The fire was brought under control soon after fire crews arrived on the scene.
State Councillor Stéphane Ganzer praised emergency responders for “working with courage”.
An FCDO spokesperson told The Sun: “Our thoughts are with all those injured and killed in the terrible tragedy in Crans-Montana.
“We will continue to monitor the situation, and our consular staff stand ready to support any British nationals who may be affected.”
A former bar customer said that the basement to the bar has only one narrow escape route.
Speaking to local newspaper Blick, the man claimed to have thought a few years ago while inside: “If a panic breaks out here, how would I get back to daylight?”
Police were quizzed on the fire protocols in place at the bar but refused to comment until after their investigations.
A reception centre and helpline have been set up for impacted families, Lathion said.
The area surrounding the bar has been completely closed off with a no-fly zone imposed over Crans-Montana.
Local reports have speculated that a pyrotechnic failure inside the bar may have caused the explosion.
Its normal closing time is 2am – just 30 minutes after the fire.
The luxury resort sits in the Swiss region of Valais, which is a popular holiday destination for Brits.
Tourists flock to the ski resort of Crans-Montana every winter for its 87 miles of skiing pistes with around three million visitors each year.
They run down from the 2,927-metre peak at the Pointe de la Plaine Morte.
Valais sits just two hours away from the Swiss capital of Bern.
