Crans-Montana, Switzerland — A fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps left many people dead and injured during New Year’s celebrations, police said early Thursday. Multiple people were killed in the blaze and many others were injured in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police said.
“The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning in a bar called ‘Le Constellation,'” police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion said. “More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead.”
Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire, police said.
Police Valais/Handout
“We’re just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists,” Lathion said.
The regional Valais Cantonal Police earlier released a statement saying there was a major response to the disaster by “police, fire and rescue forces” who focused on rescuing as many people as possible.
“The intervention is still ongoing. The area is completely forbidden to access. A ban on flying over Crans-Montana has been issued,” the police said, adding that a reception center and helpline had been established for impacted families.
The Crans-Montana community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.
