Bern [Switzerland], January 2 : At least 40 people were killed, and around 115 others injured in a non-arson fire at the "Le Constellation" bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, CNN reported the Valais Cantonal Police as saying.
At a press conference in Crans-Montana, Valais Cantonal Police Commander Frederic Gisler on Thursday said that authorities responded swiftly after a fire was reported at a bar in the area.
According to Gisler, smoke was first seen coming from the bar in the centre of the Swiss ski resort at around 1:30 am. Moments later, a witness contacted the emergency call centre to report the incident. A red alert was immediately issued to mobilise firefighting services, he added.
The first teams from the Crans-Montana intercommunal police and the gendarmerie reached the scene at 1:32 am, and were soon joined by additional emergency responders, CNN reported.
"Their initial assignment was obviously to take care of the victims, to provide them emergency help," Gisler said. He noted that firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze quickly. "Following that, the initial investigations were able to start," he said.
Reception centres were later set up to assist those affected by the incident, and a helpline was launched at 4:14 am to provide information and support to families.
"All of the injured people had received care by shortly after 5 am, thanks to this widescale mobilisation," CNN quoted Gisler as saying.
Families of those who lost their lives in the fire at Crans-Montana are facing a painful wait, as local authorities said it could take several days to identify all of the approximately 40 victims, CNN reported.
"Currently and in the days to come, the priority will be identifying the people who have died so that their bodies can be returned quickly to their families," Gisler said in a press conference.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his solidarity with the victims' families and the Swiss government over the incident.
"Deep emotion following the fire in Crans-Montana. My thoughts go to the bereaved families and the injured. To Switzerland, to its people and to its authorities, I convey the full solidarity of France and our fraternal support," he stated in a post on X.