Fire at Swiss Nightclub During New Year’s Eve Event Kills at Least 40
Le Constellation nightclub in Crans-Montana, Valais, Switzerland, was the site of a deadly fire during a New Year’s Eve event, resulting in at least 40 deaths and approximately 119 injuries. A promotional video posted by the nightclub showed staff carrying flaming champagne bottles with sparklers near the ceiling, an act authorities believe triggered a flashover causing rapid flame spread.
Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud stated that investigators are examining potential negligence charges, though no arrests have been made as of Friday. Witnesses described a rapid onset of smoke and flames. Survivor Axel Clavier recounted escaping the blaze by breaking a plexiglass pane after seeing staff with the flaming champagne bottles and sparklers.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the incident one of the worst tragedies in the country’s recent history. Many victims were young, and some foreign nationals remain missing, including individuals from Serbia, Bosnia, Belgium, and Portugal. Some officials cited death tolls as high as 47, with security services continuing efforts to identify victims and determine the full circumstances surrounding the disaster.
