Explosion at Swiss New Year Party: Around 40 Dead, Hundreds Injured

(Switzerland, 2nd) During a New Year party held at a bar in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, an explosion occurred, resulting in about 40 deaths and around 100 injuries.

Officials said the explosion has been classified as a fire rather than an attack. The incident occurred at the “Constellation” bar, a hotspot for tourists. At the time of the incident, there were over a hundred people present for the New Year celebration.

Police’s preliminary assessment suggests the explosion may have been caused by celebratory torches, and the case is under investigation. The fire occurred at 1:30 am local time on the 1st (9:30 am Malaysian time).

The head of security said that some of the victims were from other countries.

At a press conference, officials stated that the cause of the explosion and fire at the bar remains undetermined, but investigators have ruled out the possibility of an attack.

As investigations are ongoing and out of consideration for the families of the victims, the authorities are withholding further details for now.

Crans-Montana consists of two interconnected towns at an altitude of 1,500 meters, located in the French-speaking canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is an upscale luxury resort nestled in the Rhone valley, comprising the western Crans area and the eastern Montana area.

After the explosion, all local hospitals were mobilized immediately to admit patients with severe burns, but intensive care units quickly filled up. Ten medical helicopters and large numbers of ambulances were dispatched urgently to the mountainous area. Hospitals nationwide are currently treating patients with severe burns.

Valais Governor Reynard said most of the injured are in serious condition. He added that the Valais hospital intensive care unit is full, and patients are being transferred elsewhere.

Swiss media “24 Heures” quoted a resident: “I live just a few dozen meters from the scene. The evening atmosphere was very lively, like a typical New Year's Eve, with music and drinking. We were also celebrating with friends. Suddenly, my 17-year-old daughter and her friends, who were out, called me in a panic saying, 'Mom, it's terrible, there are casualties.'”

According to Swiss media, the bar is situated on both the ground floor and basement, with most activities usually in the basement. This explosion reportedly occurred in the basement and then affected the ground floor. The bar can accommodate 400 people. Police stated that there were over 100 people inside when the explosion happened.