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What we know so far
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Police have confirmed that “several dozen” people have died in the explosion, with around 100 injured.
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The Italian foreign ministry have said information from Swiss police suggested about 40 deaths, but police were not more specific than “dozens” at the press conference.
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At around 1.30am local time, smoke was noted at the bar and emergency services were called. Fire and police patrols “rapidly reached the site”.
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There were several hundred people affected by the blast, and from many different nationalities, officials have said. They said it will take time to uncover who has been killed and injured, and where they are from, with many nationalities likely to have been involved.
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Firefighters have been mobilised from across the entire region, officials said.
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Many victims have “severe burns”, officials added. The local hospitals’ intensive care units “are full” and some patients are having to be transferred to hospitals in other cantons for urgent care.
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There is no suggestion that this was a terrorist attack, police confirmed.
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The area has been completely closed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana, police said in a statement.
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A police official told this morning’s press conference that everyone involved in the operation is “stunned” by this “painful moment”.
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In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on the local population to show caution in the coming days to avoid any accidents that could require medical resources that are already overwhelmed, AP reported.
The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 40km (25 miles) north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and 130km (81 miles) south of Zurich.
The highest point of Crans-Montana, with a population of 10,000 residents, sits at an elevation of nearly 3,000m (1.86 miles), according to the municipality’s website, which says officials are seeking to move away from a tourist culture and attract high-tech research and development.
What we know so far
-
Police have confirmed that “several dozen” people have died in the explosion, with around 100 injured.
-
The Italian foreign ministry have said information from Swiss police suggested about 40 deaths, but police were not more specific than “dozens” at the press conference.
-
At around 1.30am local time, smoke was noted at the bar and emergency services were called. Fire and police patrols “rapidly reached the site”.
-
There were several hundred people affected by the blast, and from many different nationalities, officials have said. They said it will take time to uncover who has been killed and injured, and where they are from, with many nationalities likely to have been involved.
-
Firefighters have been mobilised from across the entire region, officials said.
-
Many victims have “severe burns”, officials added. The local hospitals’ intensive care units “are full” and some patients are having to be transferred to hospitals in other cantons for urgent care.
-
There is no suggestion that this was a terrorist attack, police confirmed.
-
The area has been completely closed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana, police said in a statement.
-
A police official told this morning’s press conference that everyone involved in the operation is “stunned” by this “painful moment”.
The press conference has now ended. We will bring you a summary of the key points soon.
Victims likely to have been from many different countries
“It is probable that victims will be of different nationalities,” officials say, adding that they are working with other countries to establish this.
They stress they cannot give precise numbers until they are certain, but repeat that “several dozens” have died.
'No explosive device involved'
At the press conference, officials are being asked about the fire standards at Le Constellation bar and lounge, where the explosion took place, amid reports some people were “trapped” in the building. There have also been unconfirmed reports that fireworks, or pyrotechnics, might have been a cause.
The investigation is ongoing, police say, and they cannot confirm any details, but remain confident it was not a terrorist attack due to the nature of the blaze.
It was not an explosive device that caused the fire.
Officials at the press conference are asking for “prudence” from those in the town, reminding them not to make unnecessary demands on hospitals, which are overwhelmed.
Please leave investigators to do their work, they say.
Many victims have “severe burns”, officials say.
The local hospitals’ intensive care units “are full” and some patients are having to be transferred to hospitals in other cantons for urgent care.
There are several hundred people affected by the blast, and from many different nationalities, officials have said.
They say it will take time to uncover who has been killed and injured, and where they are from.
There is no suggestion that this was a terrorist attack, police say.
'Several dozen' dead and 100 injured
Police confirm that “several dozen” people have died in the explosion, with around 100 injured.
A police official is now speaking. He says everyone involved in the operation is “stunned” by this “painful moment”.
He says that at around 1.30am local time, smoke was noted at the bar and emergency services were called. Fire and police patrols “rapidly reached the site”.
Firefighters have been mobilised from across the entire region.
Those injured have been taken to a number of different hospitals for treatment.
The president of the state council for the canton is speaking now to express condolences to the victims and “grieving families”.
He says the evening should have been a celebration but “turned into a nightmare”.
He says the blaze has “cost the lives of many people”.
Police press conference begins
Police chiefs and other officials are about to give an update on the situation. We will have all the details live here.
'Several' people have died, police confirm
Police confirmed in an earlier statement there have been multiple deaths and injuries:
Several people lost their lives and others were injured,” the police statement said, describing the incident as “serious” and adding that “a major emergency response is underway”.
“A large contingent of police, firefighters, and rescue workers immediately went to the scene to assist the numerous victims,” it said.
“The operation is still ongoing.”
Some reports are putting the death toll at 10, but these are unverified at this point.
Opening summary
Several people have been killed and others injured when an explosion ripped through a bar in the luxury Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana, Swiss police said early on Thursday.
About 100 people were in the bar at the time of the blast, police said.
“There has been an explosion of unknown origin,” Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesperson in Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told AFP. “There are several injured, and several dead.”
He said the explosion took place at about 1:30am (0030 GMT) in a bar called Le Constellation, which is popular with tourists, as revellers rang in the new year.
“More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead,” he said.
We are expecting an update from police in Switzerland shortly and will be covering developments here.
