GENEVA – At least 10 people have been confirmed dead, and 10 others injured after a powerful explosion rocked a bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort in the Valais region of southwestern Switzerland on Thursday, according to reports from Swiss public broadcaster RTS.
The explosion occurred at around 1:30 AM local time (0030 GMT) and sparked a fire in the bar.
Emergency response teams swiftly arrived at the site, but the cause of the blast remains unknown.
Swiss and other media outlets shared images of the building engulfed in flames, with emergency personnel on site.
Several people were killed and others injured after a fire broke out at a bar in the Swiss Alps during New Year’s celebrations pic.twitter.com/qpeZlXMx2J
— TRT World (@trtworld) January 1, 2026
Local authorities have confirmed that over 100 people were inside the bar at the time of the explosion.
Police spokesperson Gaetan Lathion stated, “There were more than a hundred people in the building, and we are witnessing a large number of casualties, both dead and injured.”
Lathion added that Crans-Montana, a world-renowned ski resort, attracts many international visitors, and authorities are still in the early stages of their investigation.
