CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — A festive New Year’s celebration at Le Constellation bar in the prestigious Crans-Montana ski resort descended into unimaginable tragedy when a rapidly spreading fire engulfed the crowded venue shortly after midnight Thursday. The catastrophic blaze resulted in approximately 40 fatalities and left 115 individuals with serious injuries, marking one of Switzerland’s most devastating modern disasters.\n\nEyewitness accounts describe scenes of chaos and desperation as revelers fought to escape the inferno. Sixteen-year-old Parisian Axel Clavier recounted his narrow escape after forcing a window open with a table. \”I felt like I was suffocating,\” Clavier told The Associated Press, noting he lost personal belongings but survived while one of his friends perished in the flames.\n\nInitial witness testimonies suggest the fire may have originated from celebratory sparklers attached to Champagne bottles. Two women interviewed by French broadcaster BFMTV described seeing bartenders engaging in festive displays with lit candles in bottles before flames suddenly spread upward, causing the wooden ceiling to collapse.\n\nThe subsequent panic triggered a deadly crowd surge as patrons attempted to flee the basement nightclub through a narrow staircase and single exit. Witnesses reported people smashing windows to escape, with some sustaining grave injuries in the process. Distraught parents rushed to the scene searching for their children amid the chaos.\n\nValais Canton authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy. Police commander Frédéric Gisler confirmed ongoing efforts to identify victims, acknowledging the community remains \”devastated.\” Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud emphasized that while the cause remains undetermined, there is \”no question of any kind of attack\” and no suspects have been identified.\n\nThe resort town, situated in the heart of the Swiss Alps approximately 5 kilometers from Sierre—site of another tragic incident in 2012—typically bustles with winter sports enthusiasts. Authorities have urged caution to prevent additional accidents that could strain overwhelmed medical resources.\n\nSwiss President Guy Parmelin, addressing the nation on his first day in office, praised emergency responders confronted with \”scenes of indescribable violence and distress,\\” calling for unity and dignity in the face of tragedy.