The blaze at a crowded New Year’s Eve party in Crans-Montana killed about 40 people and injured over 100
A festive New Year’s Eve celebration at a popular Swiss ski resort bar turned into one of the nation’s worst tragedies when a fast-moving fire, likely ignited by sparklers on top of champagne bottles, tore through the crowded basement venue, killing at least 40 people.
Swiss authorities confirmed Friday that preliminary evidence points to “sparkler candles or sparklers placed on bottles of champagne that were moved too close to the ceiling” as the cause of the blaze at Le Constellation bar in the upscale Alpine resort of Crans-Montana.
The fire broke out around 1:30am on January 1, 2026, as the bar was packed with young revelers celebrating the New Year.
Officials have stated that this work will take several days as they must be “100% sure” before informing families. Authorities are now relying on DNA analysis and dental records to make positive identifications.
Many of the 119 injured victims remain in life-threatening condition, described as “still fighting for their lives.” The scale of injuries overwhelmed local hospitals, as many of the burns sustained require highly specialized, resource-intensive care from entire teams of specialists.
