Explosion hits ski resort in Switzerland, dead and injured reported
Explosion occurred at ski resort in Switzerland (photo: Getty Images)
On New Year's night, January 1, an explosion occurred in a bar at the Crans-Montana ski resort in the Swiss region of Valais. Dozens of people are reported dead and injured, according to BBC, Aargauer Zeitung, and Sky News.
According to police, the explosion occurred at 01:30 local time in the Constellation bar, triggering a fire.
Local media suggest fireworks may have caused the fire during a concert, but police say the cause is currently unknown.
Asked by the BBC about the number of fatalities, a police spokesperson said: "We don't know the numbers killed here - other than police saying 'several'."
At the same time, Valais cantonal police commander Frédéric Gisler said that several dozen people were killed as a result of the fire.
It is noted that authorities are not disclosing the exact number of victims out of respect for the families. The investigation is ongoing, and more details will be released later.
In addition, several of the deceased have not yet been identified. It is also known that tourists are among the victims.
The injured were distributed among hospitals across Switzerland. The Valais cantonal government urged the public to avoid risky activities as hospitals are overcrowded.
Later, law enforcement уточнили that 10 people were killed and another 10 were injured as a result of the explosion.
Police also confirmed that the incident is not being treated as a terrorist attack.
Fires at ski resorts
In January last year, a fire broke out at a hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Türkiye. About 70 people were injured.
In the same month, a fire occurred at the Dragobrat ski complex in Zakarpattia. It lasted almost three hours.
