Switzerland fire latest: King Charles ‘heartbroken’ after 40 killed in ‘horrific’ Crans Montana bar disaster
King Charles has paid tribute to the young victims of the Crans-Montana bar tragedy, after Swiss police confirmed around 40 people died in the tragedy.
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.
“It is utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy,” the King said in his message to the President of Switzerland.
The commander of the Valais cantonal police said the incident has left “around 40” 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 the building engulfed in flames, with footage appearing to show the bar’s ceiling rapidly catching fire.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin visited the town on Thursday and told a press conference that many of the victims are believed to be young people.
