Crans-Montana, massacre of young people: 47 dead in flames, 6 Italians missing

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani made an ''appeal to the families'' involved in the Crans Montana tragedy, via TG4, to ''contact the Farnesina crisis unit so that we can have a complete list of the Italians who were there''. Tajani explained that there is still no complete list and that ''we are reconstructing it with the embassy, the consulate, the crisis unit and the families''.

Three very young Italian boys involved in the Crans Montana explosion are on their way to Niguarda hospital in Milan. They are intubated and have burns on 30-40% of their bodies. Lombardy's Councillor for Welfare Guido Bertolaso said. There are two other very young Italians admitted to hospitals in Zurich and Bern, but they are not transportable at the moment due to their serious condition, he added.

The Italian citizens who are missing after the fire that destroyed a restaurant in Crans Montana in Switzerland 'are currently nineteen'. This was stated by the Italian ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, on the Tg4 'Diario del giorno'. The diplomat specified that the number was the result of reports made by the families of loved ones with whom they had lost contact "to the consulate in Geneva and to the Crisis Unit".

''No arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified'' in connection with the Crans-Montana tragedy. This was stated by Beatrice Pilloud, Attorney General of the Canton of Valais, at a press conference. we need to clarify the causes of the fire,'' she said, meaning ''it was an accident'' and the possibility of foul play has been ruled out, ''it was not an intentional explosion'', said cantonal security officer Ganzer. ''There was a strong explosion because of the fire and not the other way around,'' she added.

(ANSA) - GENEVA, JANUARY 01 - "About 115" people were injured in an explosion at a bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, "most of them seriously", the commander of the Valais cantonal police, Frédéric Gisler, told a press conference, confirming that "about forty" people had lost their lives in the fire. "In the immediate and coming days, the priority will be to identify the deceased. A job that could take several days,' the police officer added. (ANSA).

''We expect many foreigners among the victims'' because ''Crans-Montana is an internationally renowned tourist resort''. This was stated by cantonal police chief Frederic Gisler at a press conference.

A group of three young people from Milan, all aged 16, were involved in the explosion that took place in Crans-Montana in the night. As ANSA has learned, one girl is in a coma at the Zurich hospital. Another boy, on the other hand, is on his way by helicopter to Niguarda hospital in Milan with serious burns to one hand, as well as to his head. The third friend, on the other hand, was rejected at the entrance of the bar la Constellation where the explosion took place, which he saw from outside.

''There are about 40 confirmed fatalities and 40 very seriously injured'' after a fire broke out on New Year's Eve in a bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. This was stated by cantonal police chief Frederic Gisler at a press conference. ''The place has been closed until further notice, in the coming days our priority will be to identify the victims. It will take many days,' he added.

'The ascertainment of the victims will take days because of the serious burns suffered by the people inside the premises'. This was reported by Gian Lorenzo Cornado, the Italian ambassador to Switzerland, who arrived in Crans-Montana. 'This evening,' he added, 'I will be able to have a list of the Italian patients in various hospitals, not only here in Sion, but in Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich and Bern'. The diplomat reported that Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had arranged for a small crisis unit to be set up in Crans-Montana at the consulate general in Geneva "to answer questions from compatriots but also to assist families". 'The compatriots,' explained Ambassador Cornado, 'are desperately seeking news and it is normal because they have no news of their families.

''We thank Italy, France and Germany'' for their help to Switzerland after the tragedy in Crans-Montana, ''we have seen a great international solidarity that goes beyond Europe and the world''. This was stated by Swiss President Guy Parmelin at a press conference in Crans-Montana. ''Many rescuers risked their lives, their courage did something extraordinary, we are grateful to them,'' he added.

"We will do our utmost to understand the causes" and possible "responsibilities" for what happened in Crans-Montana. This was stated at a press conference by Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation.

After the tragedy at Crans-Montana, the national civil protection service took action and made its expertise and resources available to the Swiss authorities. "After the first Alpine Rescue experts and medical personnel were promptly sent from Valle d'Aosta, the Civil Protection Department," a note explained, "immediately activated the Cross - Remote Health Rescue Operations Centre - as of this morning to coordinate the transfer of injured people to Italian hospitals. "I would like to thank - said Department Chief Fabio Ciciliano - the presidents and health and civil protection authorities of the Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont and Lombardy regions for their immediate availability and efficiency, even on a public holiday. The first three patients are already being transferred from the hospital in Sion to the Niguarda hospital in Milan".

The number of Italians missing following the fire in Crans Montana has risen to 16. This was reported by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in connection with RaiNews24.

At least 22 victims of the explosion in Crans-Montana with severe burns are currently being treated at the University Hospital of Lausanne (Chuv), while another dozen have been transferred by helicopter to the University Hospital of Zurich, which specialises in this type of injury. Rts reports this, pointing out that six patients were instead taken to the HUG (University Hospital of Geneva).

"Going to that club was a plausible option for us. In the course of the evening we had passed it more than once. Fortunately, after celebrating midnight in the square we decided to go home. Today there is a deafening silence in the city'. This is what Martino F., originally from Stresa (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola), who spent New Year's Eve in Crans Montana, says in a video released on social media by Vco Azzurra Tv. 'I went up here with some of my friends,' he says, adding that the idea matured 'a couple of weeks ago'. 'The silence,' he observes, 'is deafening. One cannot find the words to describe the pain of an entire community'.

The fire that destroyed a restaurant in Crans-Montana in Switzerland 'is a tragedy of enormous dimensions. At the moment there are 47 ascertained victims'. This was stated by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on 'Speciale Tg4 Diario del Giorno: la strage di Capodanno'.

"At the moment a dozen, about fifteen, Italians have been found in hospitals. As many are missing", meaning that "families have contacted the crsi unit and the embassy" to ask for news of their relatives. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told 'Diario del giorno' on Rete4.

"My son hasn't answered the phone since last night. He was at the club in Crans-Montana doing New Year's Eve with a group of friends. At the moment we still haven't found him, we are calling all the hospitals. I arrived on the spot with my wife. The situation is tragic'. This was stated to 'Speciale Tg4 Diario del Giorno: la massacre di New Year's Eve' by Mr Edoardo, father of a minor who was in the burnt-out restaurant in Crans-Montana. "I have heard from some parents of the friends who were with him," he said, "two have managed to find their son while two others, like us, are unable to contact them.

The tragedy in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve was caused by a ''flashover'', an ''extremely dangerous phenomenon in which fire spreads suddenly and violently in closed rooms, causing one or more explosions''. This was reported by the cantonal authorities, as reported by the Swiss media. The term flashover refers to the sudden change from a localised fire to a generalised fire. A fire can, for example, start from an appliance in a room and if heat builds up under the ceiling, combustion gases spread through the space and the temperature rises very quickly to several hundred degrees. This effect can cause other combustible materials to ignite simultaneously and suddenly, with flames spreading like wildfire. ''At that point, survival is virtually impossible. The situation represents a mortal danger even for firefighters,'' the Swiss media explain.

Some of the young people present in the Swiss 'Constellation' club in Crans-Montana at the time of last night's dramatic fire 'cannot be found': this was reported by a woman from Milan who was interviewed on the spot by Rai News 24. "Many have been shunted to various hospitals, both in Geneva and Lausanne, because there are 100 injured. But some kids are missing. The city is really suspended, I saw them walking around crying,' she said.

The death toll of a fire that broke out in a bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year's Eve has risen to at least 47. The Swiss newspaper Blick writes this, citing information gathered at the scene of the tragedy.

''What had been a moment of joy turned last night in Crans-Montana into a tragedy, felt throughout the country and beyond. The Federal Council has taken note of this with deep dismay. Its thoughts are with the victims, the injured and their families, and it offers its deepest condolences''. This was written by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin.

"I learned with deep sadness the news of the explosion in the ski resort of Crans-Montana and its tragic consequences. I extend my heartfelt thoughts to the families of the many victims and sincere wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. In this sad circumstance, I would like to convey to you, Mr President, the expressions of profound condolences and the sympathy of the Italian Republic and my own personal closeness'. This is the message that the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, sent to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin.

'The club La Constellation was also frequented by Italians, I am Italian and I have always frequented that club, many Italians go there because it is a club that closed quite late, it had billiards and darts and the space was big enough to be all together'. Battista Medde from Oliena, a seasonal worker who rushed there after the blast, recounts this. 'I had to go too,' he explains, 'but I preferred another club where you could enter for free, as La Constellation had an entrance fee.

e''We are very concerned''' about the presence of Italians among the people involved in the fire that occurred in the club in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve, but at the moment ''there are no indications of Italians among the victims''. This was stated to Sky Tg24 by the Italian Ambassador in Bern, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, explaining that ''rescuers are having difficulty accessing the underground premises'' and confirming that there are ''40 dead and 100 injured'', but ''it will take days and weeks to identify the victims''. Cornado said that, on the instructions of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, ''an Italian task force has been set up to provide information on our compatriots'' and alongside the ''Swiss help line an Italian help line will be created''.

The 'Constellation' bar, the scene of the dramatic fire in Crans-Montana in which several dozen people died on New Year's Eve, is located in the heart of the town in the Swiss canton of Valais, on the main street, reads the website of the Nouveliste, a daily newspaper from Valais. 'The venue is spread over two floors. The entrance resembles a sort of covered and enclosed terrace, followed by the bar and a staircase that descends to the floor below. On the lower floor,' they point out, 'there is another bar and tables on the sides. The Constellation occupies the ground floor and basement of the multi-storey building.

- "A nurse asked everyone to leave and come back the next day. She announced that there were about 30 victims following an explosion in Crans-Montana. I went out quickly to clear access to the emergency room, and then it was chaos.... People were arriving from everywhere, seriously injured in ;;cars, there was a smell of burning... They all left their vehicles in the middle of the access ramp, blocking my exit'. This is the dramatic account of a woman who was in the waiting room of Sion hospital last night, when the first injured people arrived from Crans-Montana. "It was about 2.25 am: I saw things I never wanted to see," she stressed, according to Le Nouvelliste.

At the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), 22 of the burn victims were hospitalised after a fire overnight in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. A spokeswoman for the Vaud hospital told Keystone-SDA. According to RTS, the youngest victim is 16 years old. The victims were taken to Lausanne by helicopter.

In Switzerland, there are two centres specialising in injuries of this kind, namely the university hospitals of Zurich and Lausanne. The University Hospital of Zurich, which specialises in burn injuries, has already received more than a dozen victims.

"There are about forty compatriots who have no news of their relatives, but we cannot yet speak of missing people". Ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado told RaiNews24 speaking about the tragedy in Crans-Montana where he arrived in the morning. "There are no indications of Italians among the victims and the injured," he added.

"I was faced with a catastrophic situation, but we were part of a well-oiled rescue system, in which we were able to operate in an orderly and calm manner, managing a continuous flow of injured, burnt and crush trauma victims'. This is the account of Jacopo Pernechele, a doctor from Valle d'Aosta who intervened this morning at Crans-Montana with the Aosta Valley Civil Defence helicopter.

The Swiss canton of Valais has declared a state of emergency after an explosion in Crans-Montana. Sky News reports. 'This legal provision allows us to coordinate the different resources - huge resources - and to manage them over time, as we are facing an event that will mobilise several coordinating forces and will last for a long time,' explained Valais State Councillor Stéphane Ganzer.

The Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, told Sky Tg24 live on the phone at 1pm that among the victims and the injured there are surnames of Italian origin but that they could be citizens of other countries, especially Switzerland. 'We have spoken to families - even abroad - who are unable to get in touch with relatives. They are not dozens, we are talking about nuclei. Personally, I have spoken to a few families who were given, on my indication, my phone number,' Tajani said.

A maxi emergency plan has been activated at Milan's Niguarda hospital to receive injured people from Crans Montana, following the explosion that occurred in a club overnight. According to information, the first injured people could arrive between tonight and tomorrow morning and will be admitted to the Large Burns Centre of the Milan hospital, which is considered the most important in Europe and has about ten beds. At the moment, therefore, the injured are all in Swiss hospitals, but some of the most serious ones could be transferred to Milan in the next few hours.

The Zurich University Hospital, which specialises in burns, treated more than a dozen burn victims in Crans-Montana, Valais, on Thursday. A spokesman said more were expected.

Rescue helicopters continuously transport new burn victims, a hospital spokesman told Keystone-SDA. By midday on Thursday, there were already more than a dozen.

"There are compatriots of whom there is no news at the moment". Italians 'of whom family members cannot get news at the moment'. Thus Gian Lorenzo Cornado, the Italian ambassador in Bern, in a telephone link with SkyTg24. The ambassador speaks of "about fifty people" gathered at this moment at the congress centre to get information. "But I can't venture estimates" as to the people potentially involved. "It could also be people who simply haven't given news of themselves in the last 24 hours or who are perhaps not involved in this tragedy. We cannot speculate," he points out.

'According to initial reconstructions, the fire allegedly broke out during a party attended by young people, but this is still being verified'. This was said by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, a guest on Sky Tg24.

"Our ambassador is on his way to the site and we have activated a task force to provide assistance and information to family members and to verify the possible involvement of Italian citizens, although there is no confirmation at the moment.

Emma and Albane, two young French women, escaped from the bar 'La Constellation', as they told the news portal 'BFM'. "There was total panic, everyone was screaming."

The two claim that the fire was caused by a 'birthday candle' that the waitresses had placed on the champagne bottles. The Valais cantonal prosecutor cites arson as the main hypothesis, without giving further details.

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, has postponed his New Year's address scheduled for noon today, following the serious explosion that took place last night in Crans-Montana. This was stated in an e-mail from the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (Defr), relayed by the Swiss media.

Il rogo

Foto IPP da video Crans Montana - Svizzera - 31/12/2025 nella foto le fiamme dell' incendio all' interno di un locale che ha causato la morte di decine di persone Crans Montana -

"So far no victims have been identified," Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud told the Swiss daily Blick, which is following the event on the ground,

A collection point for family members has been set up at the conference centre, le Regent in Crans-Montana. A help line has been set up by the cantonal police on the number +41848112117, which can also be contacted from Italy.

The explosion in the basement of the bar in Crans-Monatna was not a terrorist attack. This was said by Prosecutor General Beatrice Pilloud: 'An attack can be absolutely excluded.

Le autorità

epa12620262 Beatrice Pilloud (a sinistra), Procuratore generale del Canton Vallese, e Stephane Ganzer (a destra), Consigliere di Stato e capo del Dipartimento per la sicurezza, le istituzioni e lo sport del Canton Vallese. EPA/ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

"Some acquaintances told me about boys leaving the club bloodied, some without clothes. A real carnage'. This is what Michela Ris, deputy mayor of Ascona and deputy in the Grand Council, is reporting to the Swiss media in Crans-Montana. "Everything is black. There are friends who don't answer messages. Maybe they are just sleeping, but we don't know if, after having been at our house, they went straight back to their home or indulged in a last drink, perhaps in the very bar where the tragedy happened,' she continues. "We are very worried and are trying to hear from everyone, one by one, to make sure they are OK. We are distraught,' she tells Corriere del Ticino, explaining that in the well-known tourist resort the atmosphere is surreal: 'The road is closed to traffic, there are police and police forces everywhere. You can still get through on foot, but the atmosphere is very heavy".

Ten helicopters, 40 ambulances and 150 rescuers were dispatched to the scene in Crans-Montana. Most of the injured have injuries with severe burns. Most have also been transferred to the hospital in Valais: the intensive care unit is now full, said Mathias Reynard, president of the regional council. Sky News reported.

"The deflagration, according to witnesses, was a consequence of the fire, of the brazier that was created throughout the premises," said State Councillor Stéphane Ganzer, head of the Department of Institutions. This was reported by Swiss Radio and Television. The circulating hypothesis, on which the authorities, however, have not pronounced themselves, is that fireworks may have been lit in the bar.

e autorità prevedono che tra le vittime e i feriti nella famosa località sciistica di Crans-Montana ci siano anche turisti stranieri. Lo hanno detto in una conferenza stampa con il presidente del Consiglio di Stato Mathias Reynard, il consigliere di Stato Stéphane Ganzer, la procuratrice generale Beatrice Pilloud e Frédéric Gisler, comandante della polizia cantonale del Vallese. Per rispetto delle famiglie delle vittime, hanno messo in guardia contro ogni speculazione sulla causa dell’incendio.

La conferenza stampa

epa12620260 (da sinistra) Mathias Reynard, Consigliere di Stato e presidente del Consiglio di Stato del Canton Vallese, Stephane Ganzer, Consigliere di Stato e capo del Dipartimento di Sicurezza, Istituzioni e Sport del Canton Vallese, Frederic Gisler, Comandante della Polizia Cantonale del Vallese, e Beatrice Pilloud, Procuratore Generale del Canton Vallese, partecipare a una conferenza stampa dopo che è scoppiato un incendio durante i festeggiamenti di Capodanno in un bar di Crans-Montana, a Lens, Svizzera, il 1° gennaio 2026. Secondo i media regionali, l’incidente ha causato diversi morti e feriti, mentre la causa esatta dell’incendio non è stata immediatamente conosciuta, ha detto la polizia cantonale svizzera. EPA/ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE