New Year's Eve tragedy in Switzerland: fire at luxury ski resort leaves dozens dead

A fire during a New Year's Eve party at a crowded bar in the luxury ski resort of Crans-Montana, in southwestern Switzerland, has reportedly left "several dozen dead" and around a hundred injured, according to local police estimates.

The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning in the bar Le Constellation, a very popular place among tourists, when a party was being held for the arrival of the new year. The establishment has capacity for about 300 people inside and another 40 on the terrace. At the time of the fire, hundreds of people were on the premises.

"Several dozen people are presumed dead," Frédéric Gisler, police commander for the canton of Valais, told reporters. Authorities described the incident as serious and noted that the rescue operation was still ongoing hours after the event, according to an AFP report.

The fire reportedly originated after an explosion of as-yet undetermined cause at around 01H30 this morning. Although local media suggested that it may have been related to the use of pyrotechnics during a concert, police indicated that the origin of the fire has not yet been established.

Police, firefighters and emergency responders rushed to the scene to assist the victims. The area was completely closed to the public and a no-fly zone was imposed over Crans-Montana to facilitate emergency work.

Hours after the fire, ambulances remained parked in front of the bar, whose windows were destroyed. Witnesses recounted scenes of panic, with people fleeing in the dark amid smoke and flames.

The local press spoke of a death toll that could amount to some 40 people, with close to 100 injured, while authorities continue to verify official figures.

Crans-Montana is one of Europe's most prestigious ski destinations and usually attracts numerous international tourists during the end-of-year festivities.