Teen recounts how she escaped deadly Swiss bar fire

A 17-year-old survivor tearfully recounts her escape from the deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana, as mourners gather to honor the dozens killed and more than 100 injured. Authorities continue the difficult task of identifying victims while friends and families await news of the missing.

REUTERS

2 January 2026 at 02:24:28

A woman reacts outside the "Le Constellation" bar, after a fire and explosion during a New Year’s Eve party where several people died and others were injured, according to Swiss police, in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 1, 2026. REUTERS Stephanie Lecocq

Stephanie Lecocq

As mourners gathered at a church on Thursday evening (January 1) to hold a service for the victims of a deadly bar fire in the Swiss resort town of Crans-Montana, a 17-year-old girl recounted how she narrowly escaped the flames that tore through a New Year’s party.

Breaking down in tears, Laetitia Place said she and her friend were about to enter the bar when she noticed the fire and immediately turned to run out.

She said she had seen another friend and grabbed his arm, but lost contact amid the chaos. “Now he’s not answering me anymore,” she said.

Swiss authorities reported that the fire, which killed dozens and injured more than 100 people, broke out at 1:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) at the Le Constellation bar in southwestern Switzerland, a venue known to be popular with teenagers.

Place, who is from Lausanne but often visits Crans-Montana, said she credited her escape to God and came to the church to pray for the safety of her other friends, several of whom are still missing while others remain hospitalized.

Witnesses said many of the partygoers appeared to be from different countries. Officials warned that the grim process of identifying the severely burned victims could take considerable time.

-Production: Noemie Olive, Denis Balibouse, Lewis Macdonald/Reuters