Author: News Desk

Around 40 people have died after a fire broke out at a bar in the southern Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year celebrations, police said. Authorities said 115 people were injured, with many suffering severe injuries. 

The fire started at approximately 01:30 local time at Le Constellation bar. Officials investigating the incident have not confirmed the cause but ruled out an attack. People from multiple countries were affected. 

Regional police commander Frédéric Gisler said the immediate priority is to identify the deceased so that bodies can be returned to families quickly.

Thirteen helicopters, 42 ambulances, and 150 emergency responders were deployed to the Valais region, which is popular with tourists. Most of the injured suffered burns, with 60 being sent to Sion hospital, several in critical condition, according to Regional governor Mathias Reynard. He said the local intensive care unit was at full capacity and asked the community to avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

Reynard added, “We are painfully aware that identifying the bodies, as well as the injured, may still take a terribly long time for the families involved.” Some patients were transferred to hospitals in Lausanne, Zurich, and Geneva, where specialist burns units treated them. Dr. Robert Larribau said some victims were aged between 15 and 25 and suffered severe third-degree burns, with internal burns from inhaling smoke.

The incident affected foreign nationals too. The Italian Foreign Ministry said 16 Italians were missing. Three Italian nationals were being moved to Milan’s Niguarda hospital with burns covering 30–40 percent of their bodies. 

The French Foreign Ministry said eight citizens were missing and that French nationals could be among the dead.

State councillor Stéphane Ganzer described the bar as hosting a “young festive population” during the party. Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said the investigation aims “to identify the circumstances which caused this dramatic situation to occur.” She added that staircases were narrow and that several hypotheses were being considered, including a general fire rather than an explosion. She confirmed, “At no time is there a question of any attack.”

Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the fire “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced.” Locals gathered at Montana Station Church for a vigil, and floral tributes were laid near the bar. Le Constellation has an upstairs area with TV screens and a large bar downstairs.

International leaders have responded. King Charles and Queen Camilla said they were “greatly saddened” by the fire. French President Emmanuel Macron said injured victims were being treated in France, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed coordination with Swiss authorities to provide medical support.

United States (US) President Donald Trump on Friday warned that the US will intervene if Iran violently suppresses peaceful demonstrations.

“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he said in a Truth Social post as Iran faces its largest protests in three years, sparked by economic hardship and a sharp currency slide.

The unrest began Sunday in Tehran, where shopkeepers went on strike over soaring prices and stagnation. Demonstrations quickly spread to other provinces, escalating into violent clashes between protesters and security forces.

On Thursday, six people were reportedly killed in confrontations across three cities, marking the first fatalities since the cost-of-living protests erupted.

Authorities described protesters in Lordegan as attacking administrative buildings including the governor’s office, a mosque, the Martyrs’ Foundation, the town hall and banks. Police responded with tear gas and arrested several alleged ringleaders. In Azna, it was reported that “rioters” targeted a police commissariat.

While state media has consistently labeled demonstrators as rioters during past protest movements, the demonstrations, though smaller than the 2022 unrest triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, have gained momentum as students from at least 10 universities joined earlier this week.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged protesters’ “legitimate demands” and urged the government to act on economic grievances.

“From an Islamic perspective, if we do not resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods, we will end up in hell,” he said on state television. At the same time, officials vowed a firm response to any attempt to exploit the situation.

Iran’s prosecutor general said peaceful economic protests were legitimate but warned that efforts to create insecurity or destroy public property would face a decisive response.

Local media coverage has varied, with some outlets highlighting economic struggles and others focusing on alleged troublemakers. Authorities declared Wednesday a bank holiday, citing energy-saving measures during cold weather, though no official link to the protests was made.

It may be noted that Iran’s economic crisis continues to fuel anger. Local currency has lost more than a third of its value against the US dollar in the past year while hyperinflation has eroded purchasing power.

Official figures show inflation at 52 percent year-on-year in December, underscoring the depth of the hardship driving the protests.