About 40 people died and 115 others sustained injuries in a horrific fire during a New Year’s party at a Swiss ski resort.
The inferno happened at a bar called “Le Constellation” in the resort town of Crans-Montana.
According to the New York Post, witnesses said the fire was started by a sparkler attached to a champagne bottle.
Officials said it will take time to determine the exact cause of the blaze, CNN noted.
The Crans-Montana resort is popular with international tourists, known for its alpine vistas, skiing, and golf venue.
Footage of the fire circulated on social media:
Tragedy in Swiss Alps: 40 Dead, 100 Injured in New Year’s Eve Fire
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — At least 40 people were killed and around 100 others injured, many seriously, after a fire tore through a crowded bar during New Year’s celebrations in the Swiss ski resort town of… pic.twitter.com/F1fBsHqfuH
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 1, 2026
More from the New York Post:
The deadly fire was reportedly started accidentally by a woman who was being carried on another’s shoulders, holding a champagne bottle with a sparkler attached. The initial blaze in the bar triggered a so-called “flashover,” when all the combustible material in a room ignites at once, triggering multiple explosions, Swiss authorities said.
A promotional video from “Le Constellation” last year shows female night club workers carrying bottles of champagne with sparklers attached through the packed, low-ceilinged nightclub.
Another witness said the fire triggered a stampede as panicked bargoers surged up a narrow staircase from the venue, according to French outlet 24Heures.
“It was firework candles inside a champagne bottle that caused the explosion. The entire ceiling of the bar caught fire,” witness Victoria told French broadcaster BFMTV.
The fire spread quickly through the bar, which holds up to 300 people, and within seconds, it was impossible to breathe.
“All the windows were black and opaque with smoke,” Victoria said. “Some people smashed windows to let in air.”
Terrifying video shared by Tyrone King, a visitor from New York, shows flames ripping through the bar, while screams are heard in the background.
Additional footage below:
[
SUISSE ]
Plusieurs personnes ont été tuées et d’autres grièvement blessées dans l’explosion d’un bar à la station de ski de Crans-Montana. Les médias locaux évoquent des dizaines de blessés, mais aucun bilan provisoire n’a encore été communiqué. pic.twitter.com/kosiFRoO5J
— Little Think Tank (@L_ThinkTank) January 1, 2026
GB News provided coverage:
‘They say the fire originated from birthday candles placed on champagne bottles’
Will Godley discusses reports on the origins of the Swiss ski resort explosion which authorities estimate killed 40 people. pic.twitter.com/8YzmgwIQjj
— GB News (@GBNEWS) January 1, 2026
The Associated Press shared further:
Beatrice Pilloud, Valais Canton attorney general, said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire. Experts have not yet been able to go inside the wreckage.
“At no moment is there a question of any kind of attack,” Pilloud said.
She later said the number of people who were in the bar is “currently totally unknown,” adding that its maximum capacity will be part of the investigation.
“For the time being, we don’t have any suspect,” she added, when asked if anyone had been arrested over the fire. “An investigation has been opened, not against anyone, but to illuminate the circumstances of this dramatic fire.”
Gisler said the priority until further notice would be identifying the victims, and added that “this work will have to take several days.”
Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris who survived the blaze, described “total chaos” inside the bar. One of his friends died and “two or three” were missing, he told The Associated Press.
He said he hadn’t seen the fire start, but did see waitresses arrive with Champagne bottles with sparklers, he said.
Clavier said he felt like he was suffocating and initially hid behind a table, then ran upstairs and tried to use a table to break a Plexiglas window. It fell out of its casing, allowing him to escape.
He lost his jacket, shoes, phone and bank card while fleeing, but “I am still alive and it’s just stuff.”