Overview
- Flames erupted around 1:30 a.m. during New Year’s celebrations at the underground bar Le Constellation in the Swiss ski resort.
- Authorities say many victims are teenagers or in their early 20s and likely include foreign nationals, with identification efforts still underway.
- Investigators have not determined the ignition source; eyewitness reports of sparklers or candles on champagne bottles are unconfirmed as compliance with safety rules and exits is examined.
- Hospitals received mass casualties with severe burns, including at least 22 patients flown to Lausanne’s CHUV and more than a dozen to Zürich, straining regional capacity.
- No arrests have been made as police treat the incident as accidental, victim identification and consular coordination continue, and national leaders express condolences with flags ordered to half-mast.