Dozens feared dead after explosion in Swiss ski resort bar, police say
Swiss police have indicated a death toll of around 40 people, with several victims from foreign countries. The explosion was being considered a fire and not an attack
Current section
Swiss police have indicated a death toll of around 40 people, with several victims from foreign countries. The explosion was being considered a fire and not an attack
Police officers stand guard at the site of an explosion that ripped through a bar in Crans-Montana on January 1, 2026. Credit: Maxime Schmid/AFP
Police officers stand guard at the site of an explosion that ripped through a bar in Crans-Montana on January 1, 2026. Credit: Maxime Schmid/AFP
12:52 PM • January 01 2026 IST
Dozens of people are feared to have been killed and around 100 injured after an explosion tore through a crowded bar during a New Year's Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, Swiss police said on Thursday.
The Italian foreign ministry said information from Swiss police indicated about 40 deaths, but police would not be more specific than "tens" at a press conference on the incident.
It added that the blaze was not thought to have been caused by arson. The victims could not be immediately identified because of the severity of their burns, the ministry added.
Haaretz Weekly
From Trump's Gaza Riviera to the Iran war and Qatargate: Israel's 2025 in review
Haaretz Weekly
From Trump's Gaza Riviera to the Iran war and Qatargate: Israel's 2025 in review
total-- : --time0:00
The fire broke out at 1:30 A.M. local time in a bar called "Le Constellation" in the resort in southwestern Switzerland. Police were on site after the incident, along with firefighters and several helicopters, and said the operation was still ongoing in the morning.
