Italy’s foreign ministry said it had been told by Valais cantonal police that about 40 people were killed and around 100 injured in a fire during New Year celebrations at the Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.
Swiss authorities have spoken publicly of “several tens” of victims and have urged caution while identification work continues.
The blaze broke out at around 1.30am local time on 1 January, during a party attended by more than 100 people. Emergency services were deployed from across the region, with casualties transported to hospitals in Valais and beyond as local capacity was stretched.
In a statement published on its website, Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the fire was believed to be non-deliberate, citing information it said had been provided by Valais police. It added that victims could not yet be identified because of the severity of burns.
Swiss prosecutors said it was too early to draw conclusions about the cause. Beatrice Pilloud, the canton’s chief prosecutor, told reporters the authorities were not treating the incident as an attack and were pursuing a full investigation. Swiss officials have also said there were no indications of arson.
Accounts of how the incident began have varied in early reporting. The Associated Press cited witness descriptions suggesting the fire may have started when an open flame ignited the venue’s interior, after which flames spread rapidly and part of the ceiling collapsed. Reuters reported investigators were considering accidental causes and cited speculation that fireworks might have played a role, while stressing the cause remained unclear.
Crans-Montana, in the canton of Valais, is a major Alpine destination that attracts winter tourists from across Europe and further afield. Swiss authorities have said some of the victims were foreign nationals, without giving a breakdown by nationality as relatives and consulates sought information.
Italy moved quickly to establish whether its citizens were among those affected. The foreign ministry said it had activated an operational unit in Rome involving its crisis team and staff responsible for assisting Italians abroad. It said Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland and the consul general in Geneva were travelling to Crans-Montana.
Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said checks were under way to determine whether Italians had been caught up in the incident. Italian media carried reports of families seeking news of relatives and of consular staff working with Swiss authorities as the scale of the disaster became clearer.
