Thursday 01 / January / 2026
Around 40 people were killed and 115 injured in the bar fire in Crans-Montana during New Year's celebrations, Swiss police have said.
Earlier, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the death toll stood at 47.
Switzerland's President Guy Parmelin has visited the site of the deadly fire at Crans-Montana, which he called "one of the worst tragedies" in the country's history.
Parmelin and Valais Canton president Mathias Reynard viewed the damage from the blaze at La Constellation bar, where some 40 people celebrating New Year's Eve died and 100 were injured.
The bar is popular with young people and tourists.
Parmelin confirmed to reporters that many of the victims are youth.
"This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare," said Reynard.
He added that there were so many injured people that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital were quickly at full capacity.
Some of the burn victims will be transferred to neighboring countries, Reynard said.
https://p.dw.com/p/56D4j
