Dozens of people were “presumed dead,” and about 100 were injured, many gravely, after a fire in a bar at a ski resort: Switzerland
Published by RawNews1st
Dozens of people were “presumed dead,” and about 100 were injured, many gravely, after a fire in a bar at a ski resort in southern Switzerland during a New Year’s celebration early Thursday, the Swiss police said.
The blaze broke out in the early morning hours at Le Constellation, a bar in Crans-Montana in the canton of Valais, a French-speaking area in the Swiss Alps, the police said. Officials said they were still investigating the cause of the fire and a resulting explosion at the site, but they ruled out the possibility of a terrorist attack.
Officials called the blaze an “embrasement généralisé,” a firefighting term describing how a blaze can trigger the release of combustible gases that can then ignite violently and cause what English-speaking firefighters would call a flashover or a backdraft.
“This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare,” said Mathias Rénard, head of the regional government.
The injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity, Rénard said.
Helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims, including some from different countries, officials said.
“We are devastated,” Frédéric Gisler, commander of the Valais Cantonal police, said during a news conference.
The injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity, according to regional councilor Mathias Rénard.
The municipality had banned New Year’s Eve fireworks due to lack of rainfall in the past month, according to its website.
In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on the local population to show caution in the coming days to avoid any accidents that could require medical resources that are already overwhelmed.
