Deadly explosion during New Year celebration in Switzerland leaves at least 40 dead

A deadly explosion occurred during New Year celebrations at a luxury ski resort in Crans-Montana, in southwestern Switzerland, leaving at least 40 people dead and more than a hundred injured, Swiss police said. Many of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.

The explosion took place at around 1:30 am on Wednesday night, 12:30 am GMT, at the bar of a ski resort named La Constellation, where a large crowd had gathered to welcome the New Year. A fire broke out immediately after the blast, rapidly spreading through the bar.

Police, fire service personnel and rescue teams rushed to the scene and began emergency operations. Initially, authorities did not confirm casualty figures. A police spokesperson said more than a hundred people were inside the bar at the time of the explosion.

Later, at a press conference, prosecutor Beatrice Pillaud said the incident is now being treated as a fire-related accident and not an attack. She said preliminary estimates suggest around 100 people were injured, most of them seriously, and confirmed that several fatalities had occurred.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich. Valais canton security chief Stephan Ganzer said foreign nationals are among the dead. Cantonal police chief Frederic Gissler said a helpline has been opened for relatives of the victims.

Although Swiss police have not officially confirmed the death toll, Italy’s foreign ministry, citing Swiss authorities, said the number of fatalities is close to 40.

Following the incident, the entire area has been sealed off and access restricted. Air traffic over the area has also been temporarily suspended.