'Several dozen' dead in blast at Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana, police say
Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge leaving people dead and injured, during New Year’s celebration, in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP)
'Several dozen' people have been killed and around 100 were injured when an explosion ripped through a bar in the luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana, Swiss police said early on Thursday.
About 100 people were in the bar at the time of the blast, police said.
There are several hundred people affected by the blast, and from many different nationalities, officials have said.
They say it will take time to uncover who has been killed and injured, and where they are from.
There is no suggestion that this was a terrorist attack, police say.
“There has been an explosion of unknown origin,” Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson in Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told AFP.
He said the explosion took place at about 1:30am (12.30am Irish time) in a bar called Le Constellation, which is popular with tourists, as revellers rang in the new year.
“More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead,” he said.
The area has been completely closed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana, police said, adding that the cause of the fire remained unclear.
The BBC also reported that several people were killed and others injured in the blast, citing police. Images published by Swiss media showed a building in flames, and emergency services nearby.
A reception centre and helpline have been setup for impacted families, Lathion said.
“We’re just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is a internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists,” Lathion said.
A news conference was scheduled for 10am by police.
Crans-Montana is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais in Switzerland, just 40km (25 miles) north of the Matterhorn.
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