At least 10 killed after explosion at packed Swiss ski resort bar during New Year celebrations
Several people have died in an explosion and fire at a bar in Switzerland during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
The fire broke out at around 1.30am local time after an explosion tore open the basement of Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, a ski resort in Valais.
The fire resulted in numerous injuries, with Swiss outlet Le Nouvelliste reporting around 40 dead and 100 injured.
Footage on social media, seemingly taken from the road outside the bar, shows flames inside the ground floor of the two-story building.
The cause of the blast is unclear and criminal activity is not suspected, according to the French-language Swiss broadcaster RTS.
A source told RTS that hospitals in French-speaking Switzerland were overwhelmed with burn victims in the aftermath of the blaze.
Police said in a statement this the morning that the investigation was ongoing, calling the fire a ‘serious incident’ that caused several deaths
The area has been closed off and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana.
Crans-Montana is a popular destination in the Swiss Alps, particularly among British skiers, known for its views of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.
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