The alpine destination is popular for attracting international visitors, especially during the holiday season.
Shocking videos captured the terrifying moment a fire erupted during a New Year’s party at a Swiss ski resort, with witnesses saying the blaze was sparked by a lit sparkler attached to a champagne bottle. The devastating blaze at a bar, Le Constellation, in the popular resort town of Crans-Montana has left dozens dead and around 100 others injured, authorities said.
The alpine destination is popular for attracting international visitors, especially during the holiday season. Investigators say the fire was accidentally sparked when a woman, who was being carried on someone’s shoulders during the celebration, was holding a champagne bottle topped with a lit sparkler. That flame soon turned catastrophic.
Small Spark Turns Catastrophic
Officials said that the initial fire triggered a sudden «flashover», where all combustible materials in a room ignite almost simultaneously, resulting in a rapid spread of flames and a series of explosions that overwhelmed the venue within moments.
A promotional video released by Le Constellation last year shows female nightclub staff weaving through a tightly packed, low-ceilinged venue while carrying champagne bottles topped with sparklers — a festive touch that, in hindsight, appears dangerously risky.
