02.01.2026 12:27
During New Year's celebrations in Switzerland, a fire at a ski resort resulted in the deaths of 47 people, while dozens more were injured. As the disaster deeply affected the world, footage of the moment the fire broke out was also released. In a video recorded on a mobile phone, moments were captured showing the venue's ceiling engulfed in flames and people trying to extinguish the fire with clothing they had grabbed.
In the bar at the Crans-Montana Ski Resort in Switzerland, where New Year's celebrations were held, 47 people lost their lives and 115 others were injured, most of them seriously, in a fire that broke out.
"ONE OF THE WORST TRAGEDIES IN OUR COUNTRY"
Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin held a joint press conference regarding the fire in the bar with Valais Police Chief Frederic Gisler, Valais Chief Prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud, and Valais Cantonal Assembly President Mathias Reynard. Parmelin expressed that no word could describe the pain they experienced, stating, "This is one of the worst tragedies our country has ever faced."
FLAGS WILL BE LOWERED FOR 5 DAYS
Parmelin, who extended his condolences to the Swiss people, stated that all cantons acted in solidarity and thanked other countries, especially neighboring ones, for their support. Parmelin announced that the flags at the Federal Palace would also be lowered for 5 days.
Valais Police Chief Frederic Gisler stated that they took action after a report of smoke in the bar at 01:30 local time, and the first teams and firefighters from Crans-Montana arrived at the scene at 01:32. Gisler shared that the fire was brought under control in a short time, reporting that 47 people lost their lives and 115 others were injured, most of them seriously. Gisler mentioned that there might be foreign nationals among the victims.
"THE FIRE MAY HAVE LED TO AN EXPLOSION"
Chief Prosecutor Pilloud stated that many possibilities regarding the cause of the fire were being evaluated, but at the moment they were focusing on the possibility of a "large-scale fire that led to an explosion." Responding to a question about the claim that the fire originated from a candle placed on a champagne bottle, Pilloud said she could not confirm anything yet and that the investigation was ongoing. In response to a question about whether safety measures were neglected in the bar, Pilloud stated that they could not provide a clear answer at this stage, but this issue would also be clarified as part of the investigation.
"WHEN WE ARRIVED, THE SITUATION WAS AT ITS WORST"
Eyewitness Dominic Dubois and local resident Eva spoke about the fire. Dubois stated that when they arrived at the scene, the fire had started 5 minutes earlier, saying, "When we arrived, the situation was at its worst." He mentioned that there were only 2 police vehicles at the scene and that the first intervention was made by local citizens, stating, "Nearby houses, restaurants, everyone who was still awake rushed to help with water, tea, and blankets. A great shock was experienced. Everyone suddenly went outside, and the weather was extremely cold."
FOOTAGE OF THE MOMENT THE FIRE STARTED HAS EMERGED
As the disaster deeply affected the world, footage of the moment the fire broke out was also released. In the video recorded with a mobile phone, moments were captured showing the ceiling of the venue engulfed in flames and people trying to extinguish the fire with clothes they grabbed.