The commander of the Valais Cantonal Police, Frederic Gisler, confirmed at a press conference that «dozens of people have lost their lives» in the fire at the Swiss ski resort of Crans Montana. The Attorney General of the Valais canton, Beatrice Pilloud, stated that forensic medicine is important for identifying the deceased individuals. The Valais Cantonal Police ruled out the possibility that the fire was deliberately set. The fire broke out after several explosions around 1:30 in the morning, during the New Year’s celebrations in a local bar. Although the exact cause is unknown, the most likely theory suggests it was an accident possibly related to pyrotechnics. «At 1:30 this morning, an explosion of unknown cause occurred in a bar located in the tourist centre,» reported Gaëtan Lathion, a spokesperson for the Valais cantonal police.
