Deadly Swiss Alps Bar Fire Kills Dozens After Champagne Sparklers Ignite Inferno

A New Year’s Eve celebration in the Swiss Alps turned into a deadly tragedy after a fire tore through a packed nightclub, killing at least 40 people and injuring 119 others.

The blaze broke out just after midnight at Le Constellation, a popular bar in the luxury ski resort town of Crans-Montana. Swiss authorities say the fire likely started when champagne sparklers ignited flammable acoustic paneling on the ceiling, triggering a rapid and uncontrollable inferno.

Eyewitness videos show staff members holding champagne bottles with sparklers above their heads as smoke and flames suddenly erupt overhead. Fire experts say the ceiling material fueled an almost immediate flashover, a phenomenon where nearly everything in a room ignites at once.

Survivors described confusion and disbelief in the moments after the fire started, with some initially thinking it was part of the celebration. Within seconds, thick black smoke filled the basement-level venue as patrons rushed toward a narrow staircase and exit, creating a deadly bottleneck.

Video verified by CNN shows dozens of people trapped near the exit, while others smashed windows in desperate attempts to escape. Several witnesses described people collapsing, some suffering severe burns, and others unable to make it out.

Emergency crews responded within minutes, transporting victims to hospitals across Switzerland and neighboring countries. Doctors say many of the injured are young people between the ages of 15 and 30, suffering from severe burns and inhalation injuries caused by superheated smoke and gases.

Swiss prosecutors have opened an investigation into the cause of the fire, the building’s safety features, and whether the ceiling materials complied with fire regulations. The two French owners of the bar have been questioned by authorities as part of the inquiry.

As investigators work to identify victims, families across Switzerland and beyond are waiting for answers, while officials describe the incident as one of the country’s worst fire disasters in decades.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.