At least “several dozen” people have been killed and around 100 people are seriously injured after a fire at a New Year’s Eve party in a basement nightclub in an upscale Swiss ski resort.
An inferno ripped through Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, last night. A press conference held by local officials did not reveal much, with the regional attorney general stating they were not ready to announce the cause of the blaze, or any identities of the dead.
Nevertheless, the local government stated they’d “absolutely ruled out” the possibility of a terrorist attack, and despite multiple and widely-reported eyewitness statements that there had been a major explosion, the AG said the blaze had not been started by a blast.
While no specific numbers are yet known, there are said to be “several dozen” dead and “around” 100 wounded, “many” seriously. They have been transferred to hospitals around Switzerland after local healthcare capacity was overwhelmed, and a fleet of 10 helicopters is in use for rescue.
Foreign tourists are expected to be among the dead. The local government said “significant resources” are being used to identify the dead so their bodies can be returned to their families.
Swiss newspaper Blick notes eyewitness accounts that said champagne bottles filled with sparkler-type fireworks were served in the bar, which set fire to the ceiling. This is alleged to have caused a panicked rush with many becoming trapped. France’s BFMTV states French nationals were among the injured. They cited a French citizen eyewitness who saw the start of the blaze, saying a woman riding another person’s shoulders was carrying a champagne bottle filled with sparklers which contacted the ceiling, setting it on fire.
She is reported to have said: “In a matter of seconds, the whole nightclub was on fire. We all ran out screaming and running”.
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