Mourners held a vigil at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana on Thursday (January 1), less than 24 hours after around 40 people were killed and 115 injured when a fire ripped through a crowded bar during a New Year's Eve party.

Police said the fire broke out at 1:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) as revellers were celebrating in a bar called Le Constellation in the resort in southwestern Switzerland, which locals said was popular with teenagers.

Ilan Achour, a 26-year-old restaurant worker, said he drove to the venue when he heard the fire had broken out, and he found his best friend - who ended up dying in his arms.

He said the scene was "like a horror movie".

Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the disaster as "one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known" and said most of the dead were young people.

The cause of the blaze, which was initially reported as an explosion, remained unclear but authorities said the fire appeared to be an accident rather than an attack.

Hundreds of people paid their respects to the victims at the top of the road in front of the scene on Thursday evening.

Dozens left flowers and candles on a makeshift altar in front of the police cordon as a large crowd stood in silence in the frosty night.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 1, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF MOURNERS AT VIGIL

2. PEOPLE STANDING NEAR CANDLES AND FLOWERS

3. CANDLES BURNING / MOURNERS AT VIGIL

4. MOURNERS AT VIGIL

5. VARIOUS OF MOURNERS EMBRACING AND LIGHTING SMALL CANDLES ON GROUND

6. MOURNER TALKING TO ANOTHER MOURNER, ILAN ACHOUR, WHO IS CRYING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 26-YEAR-OLD WORKER IN LOCAL SUSHI RESTAURANT, ILAN ACHOUR, SAYING:

“I wasn't there. Some friends came, they called me, so I drove over. I arrived, and from there, everyone was burned, everyone was screaming, everyone was shouting. They'd been moved from the Constellation to 1900 (bar), and it was crazy, it was like a horror movie. Yeah, for real, it was a horror movie. I've never seen anything like it in my life. And then I lost my best friend, who was in my arms. We tried to revive her. There were firefighters, there were police officers, everyone was everywhere. It was insane, it was insane. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. That's why, like I tell everyone, now is the time for us to be together, for everyone to love each other, it's important.”

8. MOURNER PUTTING ARM AROUND ACHOUR

9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 26-YEAR-OLD WORKER IN LOCAL SUSHI RESTAURANT, ILAN ACHOUR, SAYING:

“I’ve worked here for years. The restaurants, the bars, everything's closed because this is a tragedy not only in Crans-Montana, but it must be a national and international tragedy. These are young people, 18 to 22, 25 at the most, who died that night. And here I am, just here to grieve. I didn't come here to be in front of the cameras or anything like that, that's not my intention. It's incredibly sad, I'm devastated. And like I told you, what we saw was like a horror movie, something you only see in films.”

10. ACHOUR (LEFT) HELPING OTHER MOURNERS LIGHT SMALL CANDLES

11. VARIOUS OF MOURNERS AT VIGIL

12. VARIOUS OF CORDONED OFF STREETS WITH POLICE STANDING ON ROADS

13. MOURNERS AT VIGIL