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A devastating New Year's Eve fire at a bar in Switzerland's Crans-Montana ski resort, likely sparked by Bengal lights on champagne bottles.
A man passes the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations. (Image: AP)
UPDATED: Jan 3, 2026 08:54 IST
Swiss authorities said a devastating New Year’s Eve fire at a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana was likely triggered by sparkler-style party candles, as the death toll stood at least 47 and the number of injured reached over 100, many of them critically.
Initial investigations suggest the blaze at Le Constellation bar started when “fountain candles” or “Bengal lights” attached to champagne bottles were carried too close to the ceiling, local prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud told a news conference. She said the fire spread extremely rapidly, adding that while the hypothesis was likely, it had not yet been formally confirmed.
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Published By:
Akshat Trivedi
Published On:
Jan 3, 2026
