Death toll rises in Swiss ski resort fire, cause under investigation!

(Patria) - At least 47 people have died and more than a hundred have been injured in an explosion and fire that occurred overnight in a bar at the popular Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.

The explosion occurred at 1:30 AM local time in the Le Constellation bar, and the cause is currently unknown.

In a statement to the media, police confirmed that the explosion happened while a New Year's Eve celebration was underway in the bar.

This area borders France and northern Italy.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that their citizens are among those affected by the fire.

At least 12 have been transported to the hospital, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that 16 people are still missing.
Earlier, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported that two French citizens were injured in the fire.

Police and other officials held another press conference in the afternoon.

Police presented a timeline

Frederic Gisler, commander of the Valais cantonal police, extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and presented a timeline of events.

According to him:
- Smoke was noticed at 1:30 AM
- A few seconds later, a witness contacted the police
- A red alert was issued and emergency services were mobilized
- At 1:32 AM, the first police officers arrived at the scene
- They provided assistance to the injured and transported them to hospitals
- Firefighters brought the fire under control "quickly"
- At 4:14 AM, a hotline for families was opened
- At this moment, we have approximately 40 people who have lost their lives and over 100 injured, many of whom are in very serious condition - Gisler said.

President of the Swiss Federal Council Guy Parmelin described the fire as "one of the worst tragedies the country has ever experienced." Flags, according to him, will be flown at half-mast for the next five days.
When asked if spray cans were used in the bar, Valais cantonal prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said that only a few hours had passed since the tragedy and she could not confirm that at this moment.

She added that the staircase appeared to be "relatively narrow" and that the investigation would determine if safety standards were met. Pilloud added that the issue of fire safety would be clarified during the investigation and that it was too early to draw any conclusions.

"There was a smell of gas and melted plastic, people were running through flames"
Eighteen-year-old Alexis told Swiss media that he was in front of the Le Constellation bar when he first noticed the fire "through the glass doors".
- It was real flames coming out - he told Swiss broadcaster RTS.
- Flames were coming out, and people were running through those flames. Shadows could be seen. People were trying to break the glass with chairs in the bar - he recounted.

Another witness, 21-year-old Alex, told RTS that he had just arrived in front of the bar when the first victims of the fire started running out.

- I saw someone in underwear, burned. Then I realized something was definitely wrong - he said.

He remembers the "smell of gas, melted plastic, a very unpleasant mixture. And then six burned people came out." Alex says he was "chilled by the thought that maybe fifty people were still trapped inside."