King Charles has expressed profound sorrow following a devastating fire at a New Year's Eve party in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana that killed 47 people and injured 115 others. King Charles released a statement Thursday evening describing the tragedy as "utterly heartbreaking" - a celebration that transformed into a nightmare for young people and families.
The fire erupted around 1:30 AM local time on January 1 at Le Constellation, a basement nightclub in the Alpine resort. Witnesses reported seeing a waitress holding a sparkler in a champagne bottle near the wooden ceiling moments before flames engulfed the venue. The blaze spread rapidly through the club's flammable foam ceiling material and wooden furnishings.
Survivors described chaotic scenes as over 100 people fought to escape through a single narrow staircase.
Many victims suffered severe burns.
Hospitals across western Switzerland - in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich - reached full capacity treating the injured. The Valais hospital's intensive care unit filled completely, forcing patient transfers.
King Charles released a comprehensive statement alongside his wife. "My wife and I were appalled, and greatly saddened, to learn of the devastating fire last night in Crans-Montana, in Switzerland. It is utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy. While offering our admiration for the heroic first responders and the selfless emergency services, we wanted, above all, to convey our deepest possible sympathy to all those who have been so dreadfully affected by this horrific disaster. Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of all those who have so tragically lost their lives and with those who remain in a critical condition in hospital."
How the fire started
Multiple witnesses told French broadcaster BFMTV they saw staff holding sparklers in champagne bottles close to the ceiling. Emma, one witness, described the rapid escalation. "Some of the bottles were near the ceiling and it caught fire. The whole ceiling was in flames and the fire spread really fast. It happened in seconds. We ran outside, screaming and crying," she told BFM.
Victoria, another witness, stated: "It was firework candles inside a champagne bottle that caused the explosion. The entire ceiling of the bar caught fire." Promotional videos from 2024 showed Le Constellation staff serving champagne bottles fitted with sparklers.
Valais Canton attorney general Beatrice Pilloud confirmed investigators ruled out terrorism but said it was too early to determine the exact cause. She described the incident as a fire followed by a flashover - when superheated air causes rapid detonations.
Emergency response and aftermath
Swiss authorities mounted a massive emergency operation. Ten helicopters, 40 ambulances and 150 emergency workers responded to the scene. The venue's structural features - low ceilings, extensive wooden furnishings and a single three-person-wide staircase - complicated rescue efforts.
Tim Steffens, a 19-year-old ski instructor, told Swiss outlet 20 Minuten: "Everyone was pushing and shoving their way out of the stairwell. It was awful. They were all burned. Their clothes were burned away. It really wasn't a pretty sight. The screams... not pretty, not pretty."
16-year-old survivor Axel Clavier told the Associated Press he was the only survivor from his group of friends. Others died or went missing. He described "total chaos" as he broke a window to escape.
Valais Canton police commander Frédéric Gisler stated that identifying victims would take multiple days due to the severity of burns. The community will likely remain in mourning for days.
International reaction
Switzerland declared five days of national mourning. President Guy Parmelin, speaking on his first day in office, said "a moment of joy turned into a tragedy that has touched the whole of Switzerland and abroad." He described it as one of the worst tragedies the country has experienced.
Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani confirmed 16 Italian nationals went missing and hospitals treated around 12 with severe burns. He told Sky TG24: "I hope there are no (Italian) victims, but we cannot rule anything out."
French President Emmanuel Macron offered France's full solidarity in a post to X. "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 wrote. France offered to receive injured patients in its hospitals.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed solidarity on X and offered medical assistance through the European Union (EU) Civil Protection Mechanism.
Hospitals in western Switzerland issued an urgent appeal to the public to "refrain from risky activities on January 1" to ease the burden on overwhelmed emergency services.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
