Several people were killed and many others were critically injured following a deadly explosion in the Ski resort town of Crans-Montana in the early hours of Thursday, said the police. Initial reports suggest that the blast, which also triggered a fire, happened at a bar inside the luxury Apline ski resort.
Crans-Montana is famous among the tourists, especially among the British nationals, and is located in the Sierre district of Switzerland, which is nearly two hours away from the capital city of Bern. The blast happened at a time when people have gathered in Crans-Montana for New Year's celebration.
According to an official of the Switzerland Police, the explosion was reported at around 1.30 am (local time) (00:30 GMT) at the Le Constellation bar, which is quite popular among the tourists. The official said rescue operation has been launched and probe is underway to find what caused the explosion.
"There has been an explosion of unknown origin," Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesman in Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, said. "There are several injured, and several dead."
Rescue operation underway
Lathion further said that the authorities have set up a reception centre and helpline for the affected people. "We're just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists," he added.
Media reports suggest that the blast took place at the bar's basement that can house around 400 people. Although the authorities are yet to reveal how many people were killed in the incident, some reports have claimed that the death count maybe as high as the 2012 Sierre coach crash in Switzerland in which as many as 28 persons lost their lives.
Meanwhile, images and videos have gone viral on X (which was previously called Twitter) showing the fire that broke out at the bar following the explosion in Crans-Montana.
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