A fire broke out at around 1:30 am on January 1, 2026 in the bar Le Constellation, in the kurort narciarski Crans-Montana, in the canton of The incident occurred during an Ano Novo party and resulted in 40 deaths and 119 injuries, most with serious burns.
Authorities have identified 113 of the injured so far. Most of the victims were young people, aged between 16 and 26, who were celebrating New Year’s Eve.
Police and prosecutors are investigating the circumstances of the accident, which is not treated as a terrorist act.
Circumstances of the incident
The bar Le Constellation was packed with more than 100 people at the time of the fire. Testemunhas reported that kelnerzy put zimne ognie in champagne bottles to celebrate.
The sparks would have come too close to the ceiling, quickly starting the fire.
The location had a basement with a low ceiling and narrow stairs, which made evacuation difficult. Algumas people broke windows to escape.
Emergency services mobilized helicopters and ambulances on a large scale to treat the injured.
Victims’ nationalities
Among the 113 injured identified:
- 71 Swiss
- 14 French
- 11 Italians
- 4 Serbs
- 1 Bosnian
- 1 Belgian
- 1 Luxembourger
- 1 polish
- 1 Portuguese
The nationality of the other injured has not yet been confirmed. Não there is information about Polish fatalities so far.
This photo appears to show the start of a fire in a bar on Suíça that killed 40 people and injured 115 others on New Year’s Eve.
—Max Cardoso (@Maxcardosobr)January 2, 2026
It all started with the sound-insulating foam in the ceiling catching fire.
How sad.
May Deus welcome these souls and comfort their families.🙏🏻pic.twitter.com/NB8cWIJpzE
Situation of Polish citizens
Ministério of Relações Exteriores of Polônia confirmed that a Polish citizen is among the injured. Ele remains hospitalized at Suíça and is being monitored by his family.
The Polish embassy in Berna is in contact with local authorities to monitor the case.
There are no additional details about the injured man’s condition.
Probable cause identified
The attorney general of the canton of Valais, Beatrice Pilloud, indicated that zimne ognie fixed to champagne bottles and close to the ceiling are the main hypothesis.
The fire spread quickly through the ceiling, causing a flashover and widespread deflagration.
The investigation continues to verify compliance with safety standards such as ventilation systems and emergency exits.
There is no evidence of an initial explosion due to an artifact, but rather a consequence of the spread of the flames.
Response from authorities
The Swiss government declared five days of national mourning and lowered flags to half-mast. Hospitais in the region were overwhelmed, with injured people transferred to specialist burns units in Suíça and neighboring countries.
The identification of the fatal victims continues, prioritizing contact with family members.
Authorities reinforce that the incident is accidental and unprecedented in scale for the country.
International mobilization
Several countries offered medical assistance, including patient transfers. Polônia proposed treating up to 14 injured people in specialized hospitals, but the offer was not accepted due to distance and language barriers.
Wounded people of other nationalities receive treatment in units at França, Itália and Alemanha.
União Europeia stayed in touch for additional support.
