Swiss Resort Fire: 40 killed, may take days to identify and return bodies to families, cause of blaze not yet known

Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler, on Thursday, during a press conference, said that identifying the bodies of those who died in the fire at an alpine resort in Switzerland will take time. An explosion rocked a bar called ‘Le Constellation’ in the ski resort ‌of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland in the early hours of 1 January, killing about 40 people and injuring 115 others.

"We count around 40 people who have died and around 115 injured, most of them seriously," Gisler told AFP.

He further said that over the coming days, the priority will be to identify those who have died “so that their bodies can be returned rapidly” to their families.

The area has been completely sealed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana. The measures were announced in a statement issued early on Thursday, according to Reuters.

‘One of the worst tragedies’

Swiss President Guy Parmelin has described the deadly fire at the bar as “one of the worst tragedies” Switzerland has ever faced. The fire broke out shortly after midnight on Thursday during New Year celebrations at ‘Le Constellation’, a bar popular with international tourists. Swiss police said close to 100 people were inside the venue when the fire began.

Speaking after the incident, Parmelin said authorities are examining “the exact circumstances” surrounding the fire. “We owe it to victims”, their families and all Swiss citizens, he said, according to the BBC.

He announced that flags across the country will be flown at half-mast for five days, adding that a “tragedy of such a scale” must never be repeated.

A video of the massive fire has captured the horror and chaos that unfolded in the area. The fire can be seen in the video, along with people standing outside. An image of the destruction caused shows a pile of rubble as first responders try to rescue victims.