Several dead in New Year’s blast at Swiss ski resort

A popular nightlife venue in the ski resort of Crans-Montana was rocked by an explosion shortly after the arrival of the New Year, killing several people and leaving others injured, Swiss police have said.

Emergency services were dispatched shortly after midnight following reports of a powerful blast and fire at or near a bar and lounge frequented by vacationers.

Eyewitness footage circulating on social media shows flames engulfing part of the venue and thick smoke rising into the night sky.

“There has been an explosion of unknown origin,” Gaetan Lathion, a local police spokesman, told AFP.

Police said they have not released exact figures as families are still being notified, but confirmed that several people were killed and many others injured, some of them seriously.

Crans-Montana, located in the canton of Valais in southwestern Switzerland, is one of the country’s best-known alpine resorts. Authorities have cordoned off the affected area while forensic teams examine the site.