On January 1st, 2026, a fire broke out around 01:26 AM, during a New Year celebration in Crans-Montana Valais, Switzerland. The fire broke out at the bar in the ski-resort town, “with one witness calling it an endless nightmare,” according to the BBC. The fire likely started from a finger-sized spark on a champagne bottle, which got too close to the ceiling, igniting the blaze. This small spark resulted in the “rapid destruction” of the surrounding area.
Valais police said they were first alerted at 1:30 AM of the fire due to smoke in the surrounding areas of the hotel. According to a source, “a large group of police, firefighters, and rescue workers immediately went to the scene to assist the injured victims,” arriving around 1:32 AM. Firefighters arrived immediately after, with a total of 150 personnel, 10 helicopters, and 40 ambulances also deployed at the scene. Due to the nature of the disaster and the size of the damage, the police observed the disaster area, and imposed a no fly-zone over the town.
“I first heard about the fire in Switzerland on the news,” freshman Melina Lucas said. “I was having dinner with my family and the news of the fire in Switzerland showed up.” Since hearing about the news, Lucas has consciously made an effort to “always be careful when being around fire, and to always think about the decisions made in life.”
The day after the fire, Swiss authorities confirmed that there were 40 fatalities, and 115 others badly injured. Most of the victims were young, with ages ranging from 14 to 39. Twenty-four patients were transported to hospitals in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland. Seven members of FC Lutry’s championship football team were in attendance and due to the fire were prevented from competing.
On January 9th, there was a memorial observing the victims. Switzerland’s religious community invited people from across the country to have a moment of silence, time that was spent to reflect on those that were injured or killed in the fire. The Crans-Montana Valais fire has left a lasting impact on Switzerland and will be remembered as a national tragedy.
