Massive Explosion Rips Through Switzerland Bar At Luxury Ski Resort Town; At Least 40 Dead

At least 40 people were killed and 115 injured when an explosion ripped through a bar in Switzerland's luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans Montana during New Year celebrations, Swiss police told news agency AFP on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.

"There has been an explosion of unknown origin. "There are several injured, and several dead,'' Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesman in Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland told AFP and local media earlier today.

Lathion said the explosion took place at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) in a bar called Le Constellation, which is popular with tourists, as revellers rang in the new year, according to AFP. Images published by Swiss media showed a building in flames, and emergency services nearby.

Police and fire services, along with several helicopters, were deployed to the scene. Local media also reported that a hotline has been set up for relatives of those affected. The area has been sealed and a no-fly zone is imposed over Crans-Montana, said the Swiss police. More than 100 people were in the bar at the time of the explosion, a police spokesperson said.

Some Swiss news channels reported that the fire might have been caused by fireworks during a concert. However, the police has said that the cause is unknown. "The intervention is still ongoing," said the police. Unverified images and videos circulating on social media showed a fire burning at a bar where New Year's Eve celebrations took place in Ski Resort.

Crans-Montana is a luxury ski resort town located in the heart of the Alps in the region of Valais, approximately two hours from the Swiss capital of Bern. The Swiss town, which is home to 87 miles of trails, is popular among British tourists. According to BBC, at the end of January, the Crans-Montana resort will host a speed skiing event called the FIS World Cup.