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.

-Noemie Olive, Lewis Macdonald and Mussab Al-Khairalla