Crans-Montana, Switzerland, became the scene of unimaginable tragedy on New Year’s Eve, as a fire ripped through a ski resort, leaving approximately forty people dead and over one hundred injured. The situation remains fluid, with authorities emphasizing the difficulty of immediate identification and notification of families.
Horror Unfolds in Swiss Alps
A New Year’s celebration turned deadly in Crans-Montana, leaving dozens dead and many more injured.
- A fire erupted in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve.
- The current estimated death toll is around forty, with over one hundred injured.
- Authorities anticipate a significant number of foreign nationals among the victims.
- Several countries, including France and Italy, have reported citizens among those affected.
“Identifying these people also means informing the families, and for the moment it is premature to give a more precise figure,” stated Frédéric Gisler, commander of the Valais police, during a press conference. Authorities believe many of the victims are foreign nationals, given the resort’s popularity with a young, international crowd. The swift identification of victims is proving challenging amidst the scale of the disaster.
International Impact
The French government confirmed that six of its citizens were injured, and eight remain unaccounted for as of Thursday evening. Adding to the distress, FC Metz announced that 19-year-old defender Tahirys Dos Santos was among the hundred injured in the fire. Earlier reports indicated the bar’s owner sustained a burn to the arm.
Italy is also grappling with the aftermath, as Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reported 15 Italians hospitalized and 16 missing. Earlier, Minister Tajani had indicated a potential death toll of at least 47, a figure not yet confirmed by Valais authorities.
Three young Italians, hospitalized in Sion, Switzerland, were airlifted to the burn center at Niguarda hospital in Milan. Regional councilor Guido Bertolaso explained, “It concerns three young people: a young girl under thirty and two other teenagers aged sixteen. (…) They are intubated, their condition is therefore stable,” adding that they suffered burns covering 30 to 40 percent of their bodies.
The majority of those injured in Crans-Montana were transported to the Valais hospital, triggering the implementation of its disaster plan. Additional patients were transferred to specialized burn units in Sion, Lausanne, and Zurich. According to the Valais police, 80 of those treated at the advanced medical post were categorized as critically injured.
The Edouard-Herriot hospital in Lyon, France, is also providing assistance, receiving two minors – one French and one Swiss – for treatment, according to reports.
