Flashover: Dozens of people died in a fire in the Valais resort, about a hundred in hospitals

Several dozen people died in a fire at the Le Constellation bar in the Valais ski resort in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve, more than a hundred were injured, most of them seriously. This is reported by the Swiss agency SRF.

The fire broke out at 01.30.

"At the press conference, the authorities were very reluctant to provide information about the dead in response to journalists' questions. Forensic experts are also on site for identification. According to the prosecutor's office, the identification of the victims is a priority. Since this is an internationally visited resort, it is assumed that the victims come from different countries. Forensic work takes a lot of time, so reinforcements from neighboring cantons were requested," the agency reports.

According to him, about a hundred wounded were taken to hospitals in Valais and other cities. The Vale Hospital reported that intensive care units and operating rooms are fully occupied. The University Hospital of Zurich, specializing in burns, received more than ten victims of burns. There are 22 victims in the University Hospital of Lausanne, a Keystone-SDA spokeswoman said.

Local authorities rule out a terrorist attack. In a press release on Thursday afternoon, they said that a so—called flashover occurred in the bar - a sudden transition from a fire to a large-scale fire. In this case, all combustible surfaces in the room ignite sharply. As a result, explosions thundered, their exact number is unknown, since the investigation has just begun.

The Valais authorities have declared an emergency situation to coordinate a large-scale operation in order to mobilize all the necessary resources as quickly as possible and without delay. Several hundred police officers, firefighters, civil defense personnel and paramedics were involved or continue to participate in the elimination of the emergency. In particular, ten helicopters and 40 ambulances were mobilized.

According to the agency, the country's president Gi Parmelin rescheduled the New Year's speech scheduled for Thursday afternoon and arrived in Valais, where a press conference is currently taking place.

Attorney General Beatrice Pillow said at a press conference that an investigation has been launched. According to her, Quarteier is now in Crans-Montana is closed, and there is also a ban on flights. "Significant funds have been allocated for the identification of the dead," she added. As for the cause of the tragedy, at the moment it is assumed that the whole room burst into flames.

According to the chief of police of the Valais cantonal district, Frederic Gisler, about 40 people were killed, about 115 people were injured, most of them seriously.