After a fire that killed 40 people in Switzerland, dismay grips Europe

— This is one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known (…). Many lives, especially young people, have been lost — said Swiss President Guy Pamelin, promising a thorough investigation to find out what happened there. — This tragedy occurred in a place naturally associated with life and joy. What a terrible contrast, what a cruel irony.

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The fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. Thursday local time (Wednesday evening in Brazil) and was initially reported as an explosion. However, Stéphane Ganze, head of security for the canton (region) of Valais, where the Crans-Montana station is located, ruled out this hypothesis. Béatrice Pilloud, the region’s attorney general, said the objective of the investigation was to discover the causes of the disaster and not to find those responsible, at least for the moment. The use of fireworks is considered a possible cause of the tragedy.

“We have no suspects,” she said. — An investigation has been opened, not against anyone, but to clarify the circumstances of this tragic fire.

Among the hundred injured, many are in serious condition, with burns and lung damage caused by smoke inhalation. Around sixty people are hospitalized in Sion, while others have been transported to other Swiss cities and neighboring countries: in Milan, a hospital specializing in the treatment of fire victims is expected to receive three patients, and a doctor told the New York Times that they had “burns on up to 40% of the body.”

— It was a real flame coming out of there. I was leaving and… in fact, people were running through the flames — Alexis, 18, who escaped the fire relatively intact, told the Swiss channel RTS. —I could see the shadows. People were trying to break the glass with bar chairs.

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Another survivor, Alex, 21, told RTS that he saw a person running in their underwear, and that’s when he realized “there was definitely something wrong.”

— (There was a) smell of gas, melted plastic, a very unpleasant mixture. And then half a dozen burned people came out, he reported. — It sent a shiver down my spine to think that there were maybe fifty more people trapped inside.

According to the Italian government, 19 citizens of their country are missing – Swiss authorities say it will take time to recognize the bodies of the victims – and 5 injured. Chancellor Antonio Tajani will travel to Crans-Montana on Friday “to be close to our fellow citizens who are waiting for news”. On the social network X, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with the authorities of the neighboring country.

“In my personal name and on behalf of the Government, I express my most sincere condolences for the tragic fire that occurred in Crans-Montana, Switzerland,” wrote Meloni, on the social network

Still on X, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, said she was “deeply dismayed by the fire in Crans-Montana”.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected. We are in contact with the Swiss authorities to provide medical assistance to the victims through the EU (European Union) Civil Protection Mechanism,” he wrote. “Europe stands in full solidarity with Switzerland.”

Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, said he was “deeply moved” by the fire and that his thoughts were “with the bereaved families and the injured”.

“The number of victims is devastating. Our thoughts are with the families. Our diplomatic and consular teams are monitoring the situation and providing the necessary assistance to our compatriots affected by this tragedy,” he declared. “France is treating the injured in its hospitals and is ready to provide all necessary assistance.”