At least 47 people were killed and 112 injured after a fire broke out at a crowded bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italian media Thursday.
Speaking to Sky TG24, Tajani said that identifying the victims will be "particularly complex and will take time."
He added that some injured Italians have already been transferred to Milan.
The report, citing Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, said six Italians are missing and 13 hospitalised.
Swiss authorities, however, have so far confirmed lower provisional figures. Valais cantonal police said around 40 people were killed and about 115 injured, most of them severely, stressing that the identification of victims is ongoing and that the numbers could still change.
Authorities have warned that the process of identifying the dead may take several days due to the condition of the bodies. Given the international nature of the resort, Swiss officials have also said that foreign nationals could be among the victims.
The fire broke out at Le Constellation bar shortly after midnight, triggering a major emergency response. Dozens of ambulances and helicopters were deployed, and injured victims were transferred to hospitals across Switzerland and some abroad, including specialised burn units.
A criminal investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Valais prosecutors said several hypotheses are being examined, with the currently favoured theory being that of a generalised conflagration that caused a deflagration. Authorities have stressed that many circumstances remain to be clarified and have urged restraint and respect for the victims' families.
Swiss officials have ruled out terrorism and said the focus remains on establishing the exact sequence of events that led to the blaze. Forensic experts from Zurich have been mandated to assist with the investigation and the identification process.
Meanwhile, witness accounts, photos and video footage posted on social media suggest the fire was triggered by a sparkler in a champagne bottle, while authorities declined to speculate on the exact cause.
Video footage shows the ceiling igniting rapidly before the flames spread through the mostly wooden building.
Investigators rush to identify victims
On Friday, investigators raced to identify the victims of the fire. It is not yet clear what set off the blaze at Le Constellation.
Bystanders described scenes of panic and chaos as people tried to break the windows to escape and others, covered in burns, poured into the street.
Swiss police warned it could take days or even weeks to identify everyone who perished, leaving an agonising wait for family and friends.
"We've tried to reach our friends. We took loads of photos and posted them on Instagram, Facebook, all possible social networks to try to find them," said Eleonore, 17. "But there's nothing. No response."
"Even the parents don't know," she added.
The exact number of people who were at the bar when it went up in flames remains unclear, and police have not specified how many are still missing.
Le Constellation had a capacity of 300 people, plus another 40 people on its terrace, according to the Crans-Montana website.
