Initial evidence at the scene suggests that the sparklers may have caused the fire, with foam material used on the ceiling of the bar also among the concerns.

by Xinhua writer Jiao Qian

GENEVA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Around 40 people are believed to have died in a bar fire breaking out in southwestern Switzerland, with the number of injured rising to 119, police said at a news conference on Friday afternoon.

Among the injured, the identities of 113 people have been confirmed. But some European countries still reported missing nationals in the fire, which broke out overnight at "Le Constellation" bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort in Valais Canton.

Swiss authorities said the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days. Stephane Ganzer, a regional health and safety official, told the French radio station RTL that 80 to 100 of the injured are in a critical condition, with many likely to die from severe burns.

DEADLY TRAGEDY

The alarm was raised at the bar at around 1:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) Thursday local time, minutes after the fire broke out. A total of 41 ambulances, 13 helicopters, and more than 150 medical personnel were deployed to the scene, local police said.

An area of 100 meters around the bar had been cordoned off. Crowds of people stood hugging and crying near the police line, where flowers and candles for the victims had been laid.

A young Swiss man named Nathan, visibly shaken, told Xinhua near the scene that four of his friends had died in the fire. "Three are still missing," he said, "I don't even know which hospitals they are in. It's all so tragic... It hurts because I never got the chance to say goodbye to them."

Anthony Cina, 17, was on vacation from the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. He told Xinhua that he had not been able to enter the bar on the night of the tragedy as it was full. He was waiting in line with his friends when he saw smoke, then fire. "I saw a lot of people then running out that were like, burnt, and everything was just shocking," he said.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin said the fire was one of the worst tragedies in the country's history. Parmelin, who just started his second term as the country's president, had postponed his New Year's address.

"The government would like to express its condolences to all the relatives," Parmelin said.

Flags at the Federal Palace will stay at half-mast for five days, he added, stressing that such tragedies must be prevented in the future.

EU COUNTRIES OFFER HELP

Most of those killed and injured in the fire are young people, since Le Constellation was a more affordable option than most other venues in the luxury resort.

The injured were initially taken to hospitals in Sion, the capital of Valais Canton, as well as Lausanne, Zurich, and Geneva. Some were later transferred to hospitals abroad.

According to the Italian authorities, 13 Italian nationals have been admitted to hospitals, and six others are still missing.

Fourteen injured people are being transferred to Polish hospitals at Switzerland's request, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on X, saying that his country was ready to provide specialized medical care.

Another three injured people, including two French nationals and one Swiss, were transferred to hospitals in Lyon and Paris, according to French authorities.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that at least six French nationals were injured, and eight French citizens are "still unaccounted for."

According to Swiss media reports, the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, has flown the Swiss flag at half-mast as a gesture of solidarity and mourning, saying it stands with Switzerland in commemorating the deceased and extends its deepest condolences to all those affected.

POSSIBLE CAUSE ANNOUNCED

After the fire, a video footage emerged on the internet, showing staff at the bar holding lit sparklers attached to bottles close to the ceiling, where flames were spreading afterwards.

The authorities of the canton of Valais reported Thursday that the bar has been the scene of a "flashover" - a phenomenon where flammable materials suddenly ignite, turning a localized fire into a raging inferno.

At the press conference on Friday afternoon, Valais Canton Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said the sparklers attached to the champagne bottles were assumed to be one of the causes of the fire.

According to Pilloud, initial evidence at the scene suggests that the sparklers may have caused the fire, with foam material used on the ceiling of the bar also among the concerns. "We are pursuing multiple hypotheses; no scenario is being ruled out," she said.

The number of people inside the bar at the time of the incident remains unknown. Local authorities said it would take time to identify all individuals, but the identification of the deceased has been a priority.

On Friday, Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais government, announced that a memorial service will be held in Crans-Montana on Jan. 9. "It will be an opportunity to come together to commemorate the victims and stand united as a nation," he said.