Rough start to New Year as 40 dead in Swiss luxury ski resort explosion, around 100 injured

BERN: A bar explosion during New Year's Eve killed 40 people in Switzerland. About 100 are reportedly in critical condition. The explosion occurred at a bar located in the Swiss Key Resort, a luxurious Alpine resort town in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

The accident occurred at around 1:30 am local time. About 100 people were in the bar as part of the New Year's Eve celebrations. This is said to have worsened the scale of the accident. Most of the victims were tourists. Footage of the explosion is circulating on social media.

Crans-Montana is a luxury resort area in the Alps and a major tourist destination. Following the accident, air traffic over the Crans Montana area was temporarily restricted.

Some media outlets are reporting that it was the careless handling of fireworks during the New Year celebration that led to the tragedy. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the cause. Police say investigations are underway to determine the cause of the explosion. Emergency services have been deployed to ensure treatment for those injured in the accident.