10 Dead as Explosion Rips Through Swiss Ski Resort Bar on New Year's Eve

Zurich: At least 10 people were killed in a major explosion reported at the Le Constellation Bar in the upscale ski resort town of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations, police said on Thursday. 

The incident occurred around 1:30 am. Around 100 were also injured in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland. 

“The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning in a bar called ‘Le Constellation’. More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead,” police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion said. 

Emergency services rushed to the spot after the blast ripped through the bar, located in a luxury Alpine ski resort frequented by international tourists. 

Terror angle has been ruled out 

Videos circulating online, reportedly filmed from outside the Constellation Bar, show panic at the scene, with people running as flames erupted from the bar. Screams can be heard in the background, while thick plumes of smoke and fire are seen billowing into the air.

The area has been completely closed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana, police said, adding that the terror angle has been ruled out, as reported by the local media.

“At no moment is there a question of any kind of attack,” Pilloud said. 

What may have caused the explosion?

Officials called the blaze an “embrasement généralisé”, a firefighting term describing how a blaze can trigger the release of combustible gases that can then ignite violently and cause what English-speaking firefighters would call a flashover or a backdraft. 

Preliminary reports indicate that the explosion may have been caused by pyrotechnics used during a concert. Experts have not yet been able to go inside the wreckage. 

However, authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of the blast, and Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general of the Valais Canton, said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire.

“We’re just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists. A reception centre and helpline have been set up for impacted families,” Lathion confirmed.  

Crans-Montana, a popular winter destination in Switzerland known for skiing and snowboarding, is located approximately three hours from Zurich and typically hosts large crowds during the New Year holiday period.

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