At about 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, a fire tore through the basement nightclub Le Constellation in Crans‑Montana, killing at least 40 people and injuring more than 100. Eyewitnesses told BFMTV they believe a sparkler placed in a champagne bottle ignited the club’s low wooden ceiling, though officials have not confirmed the cause. A May 2024 promotional video shows the club using sparklers in bottles; Swiss hospitals are overwhelmed and many burn victims are being transferred to neighboring countries for specialist care.
Promoted Sparklers, Deadly Fire at Crans‑Montana Nightclub Kills At Least 40
The identities of those who died are not yet known, but it is believed tourists from nearby nations were caught in the blaze. / Harold Cunningham / Getty Images
A New Year’s Day celebration at the basement nightclub Le Constellation in Crans‑Montana, in the Swiss canton of Valais, ended in a devastating fire that has killed at least 40 people and injured more than 100, local authorities and media reported.
Eyewitnesses Point To Sparklers; Officials Still Investigating
Two French eyewitnesses, identified as Emma and Albane, told France’s BFMTV that the blaze began when a sparkler placed in a champagne bottle was held too close to the club’s low wooden ceiling. Officials have not yet publicly confirmed the cause, and investigations are ongoing.
Rescuers are seen on the site of a fire that ripped through a bar in the luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans Montana, on January 1, 2026. / MAXIME SCHMID / AFP via Getty Images
“In a matter of seconds the entire ceiling was ablaze. Everything was made of wood,” Emma and Albane told BFMTV. They said roughly 200 people tried to flee within about 30 seconds via very narrow stairways.
A promotional video posted to Le Constellation’s YouTube channel in May 2024 shows staff carrying champagne bottles topped with sparklers, a spectacle the club used in marketing. The venue, popular with teenagers and people in their early twenties, also housed a shisha area.
Casualties, Response And Treatment
Authorities said identifying the victims is a priority but is being complicated by severe burns. Officials confirmed that foreign tourists from France and Italy were among those affected, though the nationalities of all victims have not been released.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin (right) visited the scene hours after the blaze broke out. / ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE / POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Local Swiss hospitals were reported to be overwhelmed. According to the New York Times, many burn victims are expected to be transferred to specialist treatment centers in neighboring Italy, Germany and France.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the tragedy as “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known.”
The Daily Beast reported it had contacted Crans‑Montana Tourism & Congress for further information. Authorities and emergency services continue to investigate the cause and assist victims and families.
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