Explosion at Swiss Ski Resort on New Year's Day Leaves Dozens Dead (Comprehensive)

About 100 Injured as Fire Breaks Out
Many Suffer Burns, Numerous in Critical Condition

An explosion occurred at a bar in a Swiss ski resort on New Year's Day, and the police are investigating. Photo by AP Yonhap News Agency

On New Year's Day, an explosion at a bar in a Swiss ski resort resulted in dozens of deaths and left around 100 people injured.

According to major foreign news outlets, Swiss police announced that at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time on January 1, an explosion and fire occurred at a bar in Crans-Montana, Valais, in southwestern Switzerland, resulting in dozens of fatalities. At the time of the incident, more than 100 people were inside the bar celebrating the New Year.

Swiss police stated that they are working to identify the victims and contact their families, but have not released the exact number of casualties.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that it received information from Swiss police indicating that about 40 people may have died. The explosion was followed by a fire, leaving many people with burns, and a significant number of them are in critical condition.

Local police and regional authorities said that many of the injured are being treated for burns, and more than half of the injured are in serious condition. Matthias Reynard, head of the Valais government, stated that the intensive care units and operating rooms at Valais hospitals are full, and injured people are being transferred to other hospitals. Some of the casualties are reported to be foreigners. Valais borders northern Italy.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the fire, but do not believe it was a terrorist attack. Beatrice Pillu, Chief Prosecutor of Valais, said that it is too early to determine the cause of the fire, but investigators have ruled out the possibility of an attack.

The accident area is currently under complete lockdown, and a no-fly zone has been established over Crans-Montana.

Crans-Montana is a mountain village in the heart of the Alps, about 40 kilometers north of the Matterhorn, the most famous peak in the Swiss Alps, with a population of 10,000. Its highest point reaches an altitude of 3,000 meters. The area is a world-renowned ski resort and is considered a major venue on the Alpine Ski World Cup circuit. The Alpine Ski World Championships are scheduled to be held in Crans-Montana in February next year.