Switzerland Declares Five Days of Mourning Following Deadly Fire at Crans-Montana Resort
On January 1, 2026, a tragic fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, a ski resort in the Valais canton of Switzerland, killing about 40 people and injuring 115. The fire started around 1:30 am in the venue’s basement nightclub. Witnesses reported that sparklers or flares may have been placed in champagne bottles, causing flames to spread rapidly to the ceiling.
Emergency services responded with a red alert mobilizing 42 ambulances and 13 helicopters. Victims were treated in hospitals across Sion, Lausanne, Geneva, and Zurich. At Lausanne University Hospital alone, 22 patients aged 16 to 26 were treated, eight of whom required resuscitation upon arrival.
Le Constellation, which opened in 2015, could accommodate up to 300 people inside and 40 on a heated terrace. Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who faced this tragedy on his first day as head of state, described it as one of the country’s most traumatic events and pledged to ensure such a disaster does not happen again.
The Italian authorities reported that 16 of their nationals were missing and 12 were injured. Authorities are currently conducting DNA-based victim identification and reviewing missing-person reports.
Investigations are ongoing, with canton prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud stating that it is too early to determine the exact causes of the fire or assess emergency exit arrangements. She noted the basement’s very narrow stairs as a concern. A forensics team has entered the restricted zone to search the site and establish what happened.
