Around 40 revelers were killed and another 100 injured, most of them seriously, after an explosion ripped through a packed bar in a Swiss Alps resort town during a New Year’s celebration, officials said.

The deadly blaze erupted around 1:30 a.m. at the Le Constellation bar in the ritzy ski resort town of Crans-Montana in the Valais Canton.

“It was like a horror movie,” a witness, Adrien, told BFMTV about the blaze, which is believed to have started accidentally.

Rescuers at the site of an explosion that ripped through a bar in Crans-Montana on January 1, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

Terrifying footage taken by a New York tourist from outside shows flames ripping through the bar as witnesses scream in horror.

The bar can hold up to 300 people, local media reported.

Further video shows emergency services treating the wounded in the street, while survivors stand around, still in their New Year’s party outfits.

Witnesses believe the explosion was triggered by sparklers being held too close to the ceiling, which set the roof on fire, according to reports.

“At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the possibility of an attack,” prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud stressed at a press conference, adding that authorities had opened a full investigation.

Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge. AP

Police officers block off the area where a fire killed dozens. AFP via Getty Images

“I can’t hide from you that we are all shaken by what happened overnight in Crans,” said the canton’s head of police, Frederic Gislertold.

“Our count is about 100 injured, most seriously, and unfortunately tens of people are presumed dead,” he said, adding that patients had been dispatched to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich.

Many of the victims are from other countries. The Italian Foreign Ministry said information from Swiss police indicated about 40 deaths, though Gisler said it would be “premature” to give a specific figure.

The ritzy ski resort in Crans-Montana in the Alps in Switzerland. AP

Police reported that more than 100 people were in the building during the fire. AFP via Getty Images

Authorities are working to get the bodies of the victims back to their families.

“A lot of resources have been put into forensics to identify the victims. These resources are intended to allow us to get the bodies to the families as soon as possible,” Pilloud said.

Officials described the blaze an “embrasement généralisé” — a firefighting term for when a fire triggers the release of combustible gases that can then spark a blast causing what English-speaking firefighters call a flashover or a backdraft.

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Two young French women said waitresses were carrying bottles with sparklers inside them through the venue before one caught on the ceiling.

One woman, who gave her name as Victoria, told French outlet BFMTV that a waitress was shaking the bottle and the flames quickly spread.

“In a few dozen seconds, the whole ceiling was on fire. Everything was made of wood,” she said.

“Some of the bottles were near the ceiling and it caught fire. The whole ceiling was in flames and the fire spread really fast. It happened in seconds. We ran outside, screaming and crying,“ another witness, Emma, told BFM, according to the Telegraph.

Windows are broken at the resort after a fire tore through a bar, killing numerous people celebrating New Year’s. AFP via Getty Images

The fire erupted during New Year’s celebrations in Crans-Montana. AFP via Getty Images

“I saw a young man writhing in agony on the floor. His body and his hair were badly burned and half of his face had gone. I think he must have died,” she said.

She estimated that most of the 200 people in the bar were between the ages of 15 and 20. 

Bone-chilling video obtained by the Sun shows people screaming as a massive fire rages inside the bar.

“I heard a number of massive bangs which sounded like bombs going off. It was crazy,” a local resident told the Telegraph.

“I live nearby. My heart felt like it jumped out of me. It was pounding.”

First responders stand outside the bar where a fire killed numerous people celebrating New Year’s. AFP via Getty Images

A witness told French outlet BFMTV he saw people — some gravely injured — smashing the bar windows in a desperate attempt to escape the flames, which he likened to a horror movie. Later, panicked parents flocked to the scene to see if their children were trapped inside, the young man said.

Authorities deployed 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances to the scene, and imposed a no-fly zone over Crans-Montana.

There were so many injured that the regional hospital’s ICU and operating rooms quickly reached full capacity, said Mathias Rénard, head of the regional government.

“This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare,” Rénard said.

Police officers and first responders stand outside the area where a fire ripped through a bar at a ritzy ski resort in Switzerland. REUTERS

While it’s not clear if any US citizens were injured or killed, the Swiss Alps has become an increasingly popular tourist destination for Americans.

Crans-Montana, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, is a major winter sports hub in Switzerland’s Valais region, which is home to several other major ski resorts including Zermatt and Verbier.

The resort is one of the top venues on the World Cup circuit in Alpine skiing and will host the next world championships over two weeks in February 2027.

In just four weeks, the resort is scheduled to host the best men’s and women’s downhill racers for their final events before the Milan Cortina Olympics, which start on Feb. 6.

With Post wires