The China Mail - Dozens believed killed in fire at Swiss ski resort New Year party

Horrified bystanders told of people trying to break through the windows of the bar to escape, as others, covered in burns, poured into the street.

Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, which is set to host the Ski World Cup from January 30, after the fire broke out in the early hours of New Year's Day.

"I am in shock," Alexie Laguerre told Swiss public broadcaster RTS.

The 18-year-old had been walking with a group of friends past the Le Constellation bar, a popular spot with young people and tourists, when they noticed smoke and flames emerging from the venue and called the police.

"People were running through the flames... People were using chairs to try to break the windows."

Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told reporters that "several dozen people are presumed to have died", while around 100 people had been wounded, many of them seriously.

Two young French women, Emma and Albane, told French broadcaster BFMTV that they had been able to escape the "panic" in the bar shortly after the fire broke out.

They said "birthday candles" placed on champagne bottles had got too close to the ceiling.

"Seconds later, the entire ceiling was burning," one of them told the broadcaster, estimating that there were around 200 people in the venue at the time, mainly aged between 15 and 20.

- 'Terrible tragedy' -

A tourist from New York, who filmed bright orange flames pouring from the bar, told AFP he saw people running and screaming.

Authorities said they were still investigating the causes of the fire, which erupted shortly before 1:30 am (0030 GMT), but said they did not believe it had been caused by an "attack".

The emergency unit at the main hospital in the Wallis was full, with the injured being transported to various hospitals across Switzerland.

More than a dozen victims had been transported to the Zurich University Hospital in northern Switzerland, while at least 22 people suffering from serious burns had been taken to main hospital in Lausanne, and six had been taken to Geneva, the Keystone-ATS news agency reported.

Guy Parmelin, who took over the Swiss presidency on Thursday, decried a "terrible tragedy".

"What was meant to be a moment of joy has turned the first day of the year in Crans-Montana into a day of mourning affecting the entire country and beyond," he said on X.

Swiss authorities told reporters that it was too early to provide an exact number of victims.

- Rush to identify victims -

They however acknowledged that given Crans-Montana's popularity with tourists around the world, they expected a number of foreign nationals to be among the dead.

At least two French citizens were among the injured, according to initial reports from the French foreign ministry.

Le Constellation has a capacity of 300 people, plus another 40 people on its terrace, according to the Crans-Montana website.

Ambulances were still parked outside the bar hours later, and broken windows could be seen.

Wallis's chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said that significant resources were being mobilised "to identify the victims and return their bodies as quickly as possible to the families".

- 'Screaming for help' -

Early reports had suggested a large explosion might have caused the fire.

But Stephane Ganzer, head of Wallis's security department, however said that "the initial investigation shows... the explosion was in fact a consequence of the fire".

"There is absolutely no question of a terrorist attack," stressed Pilloud, the prosecutor.

Alex, 21, meanwhile told RTS that he had arrived at the scene shortly after a loud explosion sounded.

Then he said he remembered that there was only a narrow set of stairs up from a large basement locale in the building, and worried dozens might remain trapped.

"That sent shivers down my spine," he said.

A.Kwok--ThChM