About 40 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured after a fire swept through a crowded bar during New Year celebrations at a Swiss ski resort, according to police and regional officials.
The blaze broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. at Le Constellation, a bar in the center of Crans-Montana, an upscale alpine destination in southwestern Switzerland.
Emergency responders arrived within minutes, but authorities said the scale of the fire and the number of people inside led to severe casualties.
Officials cautioned that identifying all victims would take several days due to the condition of the bodies and the number of nationalities involved.
Police said smoke was first noticed inside the bar before a witness contacted emergency services, triggering an immediate large scale response.
Firefighters, police, ambulances, helicopters, and disaster response units were deployed to evacuate victims and contain the blaze.
The fire was brought under control relatively quickly, allowing investigators to begin work at the scene soon afterward.
Regional officials said around 80 injured people were transported by emergency services, while others sought medical care independently.
Patients were taken to hospitals across Switzerland, including specialized burn centers in Lausanne and Zurich.
A significant number of those injured were described as being in critical condition.
Authorities closed the area surrounding the bar and imposed a temporary no fly zone as forensic teams began their investigation.
Prosecutors said the incident is being treated as a fire and not as a terror related act.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, with witness accounts suggesting it may have started near the ceiling inside the venue.
Officials said inquiries would also examine whether safety standards were met, including the layout and accessibility of stairways.
Reception centers and a public helpline were established to support survivors and families searching for missing relatives.
Local officials described the scene faced by first responders as chaotic and said the community remained deeply shaken by the tragedy.