New Year’s celebrations at the popular ski resort of Crans-Montana in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, ended in tragedy: a powerful explosion at Le Constellation Bar and Lounge killed at least 40 people and injured about 100 more. The incident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. local time, when more than 100 patrons were celebrating the arrival of 2026 at the establishment.
According to Gaetan Lathion, a representative of the Valais cantonal police, the explosion of unknown origin caused a major fire. “We can see many casualties and fatalities,” he told reporters. The police confirmed that the incident is not being treated as a terrorist attack. Some Swiss media outlets, including Blick, suggest that the cause may have been pyrotechnics used during the concert, but the official version has not yet been confirmed — the investigation has only just begun.
Emergency services, including firefighters, medics, and Air-Glaciers helicopters, quickly arrived at the scene. The area around the bar has been cordoned off and a no-fly zone has been imposed. A reception center and hotline have been set up for relatives of potential victims. Hospitals in the region are overwhelmed with burn patients.
Crans-Montana is one of Switzerland’s most prestigious Alpine resorts, popular with tourists from all over the world, including the British. International skiing competitions are held here, and a stage of the FIS World Cup downhill skiing competition is scheduled for the end of January 2026.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over the New Year holidays in Switzerland. The authorities have expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and promised a thorough investigation into the causes of the explosion. Details are still being clarified.