Switzerland fire latest: ‘Several dozen’ dead as blaze rips through Crans Montana ski resort bar
Swiss Police have said that “several dozen” are presumed dead after a fire ripped through a bar in a popular Swiss ski resort during New Year celebrations.
The blast occurred at around 1.30am on Thursday at Le Constellation, a bar popular with tourists in the luxury ski resort of Crans-Montana in the Valais region, southwestern Switzerland.
Revellers were gathered at the venue to ring in the new year when the explosion struck.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, the commander of the Valais cantonal police said the incident has left “several dozen” dead and 100 or so injured, some seriously.
The exact cause of the blaze is not yet known, but officials have ruled out a terror incident.
Images published by Swiss media showed a building engulfed in flames, with emergency services deployed at the scene as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control.
Meanwhile, Crans-Montana has been closed-off and authorities have imposed no-fly zone over the area.
