A devastating fire broke out at Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations. The incident began shortly after 1:30am on January 1, 2026, while the venue was crowded with people welcoming the new year.

Want instant updates? Follow Lovin on WhatsApp, and never miss a beat!

What caused the fire

Initial investigations suggest the fire was sparked by fountain-style sparklers attached to champagne bottles. Authorities believe the sparklers were held too close to the ceiling, igniting flammable soundproofing material. The flames spread rapidly, triggering a flashover that caused the fire to engulf the space almost instantly and trap many inside.

Recommended

Community Pays Tribute To The Four Brothers Who Died In Abu Dhabi Car CrashSay Goodbye to Salty Bites: UAE To Regulate Salt Content In Packaged FoodsDubai Is Allocating AED 10 Million To Support Families Struggling With Rent

Causalities and injuries

The incident claimed 40 lives and left 119 people injured. Many of the injured suffered severe burns and were transferred to specialist hospitals across Switzerland, as well as France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium. Seventeen patients were treated in France alone.

Moreover, as of January 6, 2026, 24 of the 40 victims have been formally identified. Authorities said the process has been slow due to the severity of burns, with DNA analysis required in several cases.

Among the newly identified victims were 10 Swiss nationals, two Italians, one person with Italian-Emirati citizenship, one Romanian, one French national, and one person from Turkey. No names were released at the time.

The victims include teenagers and young adults, highlighting the scale of the tragedy. Those identified so far include four Swiss teenage girls, including a 14-year-old, six Swiss males aged between 16 and 31, two 16-year-old Italians, an 18-year-old Romanian, an 18-year-old Turkish national, and a 39-year-old French citizen.

Dubai-linked victim also identified

One of the victims was 17-year-old Emanuele Galeppini. He was a young golfer from Genoa who had relocated to Dubai with his family several years ago.

Galeppini studied at the Swiss International School in Dubai and trained at the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates. He was visiting Crans-Montana for the holidays with his family and had gone to the bar with two friends. They survived the fire but were hospitalized.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lovin Dubai | لوڤن دبي (@lovindubai)

National mourning in Switzerland

Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the incident as one of the country’s worst tragedies in recent years. Switzerland observed a national day of mourning on January 9, 2026, marked by a minute of silence and church bells ringing across the country.

May the victims rest in peace, and support continue for their families and loved ones.

READ NEXT: People Are Questioning Why A Part Of Jumeirah Public Beach Was Sealed Off