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Crans-Montana Bar Fire Kills At Least 47, Injures More Than 100 at New Year’s Party

Investigators describe a rapid flashover in a basement venue with limited exits, with the exact trigger still unconfirmed.

Overview

  • Police report at least 47 dead and 115 injured and confirm the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
  • Authorities say the blaze began in the bar’s basement and likely led to explosions as a consequence of the fire rather than its cause.
  • Possible triggers under investigation include sparkler-style candles on champagne bottles and indoor pyrotechnics, but no single cause has been confirmed.
  • Witnesses describe a single narrow exit and a bottleneck, with some breaking a window to escape, consistent with a flashover that made survival difficult.
  • Italy’s consular team reports six nationals missing and 13 hospitalized, with several transfers to Milan’s Niguarda; identification is ongoing and a help line is active as hospitals in Lausanne, Geneva, Sion and Zurich treat severe burn cases.