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DOZENS KILLED IN SWISS ALPS BAR FIRE DURING NEW YEAR CELEBRATION
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CapitalTimesNews / 1 month
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- 1 min read
Several dozen people were killed and at least 100 injured when a fire broke out during a New Year’s celebration at a bar in southwest Switzerland, police said Thursday. The fire at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, occurred at 1:30 a.m. Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general of the Valais canton, ruled out any kind of “attack” and said the area would be closed amid the investigation. The area has been cordoned off, and a no-fly zone was established over Crans-Montana, according to authorities. Frédéric Gisler, the Valais police commander, said that officials are “stunned” by the incident and that police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the blaze. A helpline was set up for those concerned about loved ones. Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais government, said an evening of celebration turned into “a nightmare,” offering his condolences to families of the victims. Crans-Montana attracts about 3 million visitors a year, according to its tourism agency.