Disbelief as fire exploded inside Swiss bar: 'We thought it was a joke'

Tributes lie near the "Le Constellation" bar, after a deadly fire and explosion during a New Year's Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Leutner

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland, Jan 3 (Reuters) - When a devastating fire broke out in the Swiss ski resort of ‌Crans-Montana at around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, some New Year’s revellers seemed unsure at first whether to take it seriously.

Le Constellation, a two-storey bar with a glass-enclosed terrace, was still packed with partygoers, many of them teenagers.