At least 40 persons were killed and nearly 115 injured after a fire broke out at a bar in Switzerland’s ski resort town of Crans-Montana during a New Year’s celebration on Thursday, reported Reuters.
Most of the injured were in serious condition, Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Wallis canton, was quoted as saying by AFP.
The fire broke out at about 1.30 am in a bar named Le Constellation, which can accommodate more than 300 persons.
The cause of the blaze was being investigated, AFP quoted the authorities as saying, adding that they did not believe it was an attack.
Reports initially stated that the fire was caused by an explosion. However, Beatrice Pilloud, Wallis’s chief prosecutor, later stated that it was the fire that had caused the explosion.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the incident as “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known”.
The authorities stated that establishing the exact toll would take time as many of the bodies had been badly burned. Experts were using dental and DNA records to identify those who died, reported Reuters.
Gisler was quoted as saying by the news agency that “given the international nature of the Crans resort, we can expect foreign nationals to be among the victims”.
The injured persons were transported to hospitals across…
Source: 40 killed, nearly 115 injured in fire at Switzerland ski resort
