Dozens Are Killed by Fire in Switzerland Bar During New Year’s Celebration

A full New Year’s celebration pub in Switzerland was destroyed by fire early in the morning, leaving several dozen dead and at least 100 injured.

A fire that started during a New Year celebration at a bar in southwest Switzerland killed several dozen people and injured at least 100 more, according to police on Thursday.

Police told reporters during a news conference that the fire started at around 1:30 a.m. at Le Constellation in Crans Montana, which is situated in the heart of the Swiss Alps.

The Valais canton’s attorney general, Beatrice Pilloud, ruled out any sort of “attack” and stated that the region will stay blocked while investigations are ongoing.

Police, fire, and rescue crews were sent to the scene almost away, according to Valais police commander Frédéric Gisler, who also said that authorities were “stunned” by the incident’s scope.

In order to facilitate emergency operations and investigations, officials confirmed that the region has been blocked off and that a no-fly zone has been established over Crans Montana.

For anyone looking for information about family members and loved ones who might have been impacted, the authorities also established a helpline.

“What started out as a celebration quickly turned into a nightmare,” said Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais government, who expressed his sympathies to the victims’ families.

According to its tourism office, Crans Montana has over 3 million people annually, highlighting worries about safety during significant celebrations.