High in the pristine Swiss Alps, where the glamorous resort of Crans-Montana draws Europe’s elite for skiing under crystal-clear skies and lavish celebrations, a New Year’s Eve party at Le Constellation bar turned into one of the deadliest nightclub disasters in recent history. On January 1, 2026, shortly after 1:30 a.m., what began as a sparkling spectacle of champagne bottles topped with lit sparklers escalated into an inferno that claimed at least 40 lives and injured 119 others, many with severe burns. As investigators probe the tragedy, chilling images and videos—captured by revelers and shared widely online—provide stark clues to why the fire spread with such terrifying speed, transforming joy into horror in mere seconds.

The venue, a basement nightclub with a capacity of around 300, was packed with young locals and tourists dancing to thumping music amid the festive glow. Le Constellation, remodeled in 2015, featured a low ceiling lined with acoustic foam panels designed to absorb sound and enhance the party atmosphere. Promotional materials from the bar itself highlighted its signature flair: staff parading champagne bottles adorned with sparklers, often hoisted high for dramatic effect. But on this night, that gimmick proved catastrophic.

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Champagne sparklers likely cause of fatal Crans-Montana bar fire …

One haunting image, widely circulated and verified by outlets like BBC Verify, captures the pivotal moment: partygoers holding aloft multiple champagne bottles fitted with lit sparklers, flames already licking the ceiling above. In the photo, small fires are visible on the foam padding directly overhead, ignited as the sparklers—reaching temperatures hot enough to melt metal—were raised too close during the delivery. Witnesses described a waitress perched on a colleague’s shoulders, waving the bottles triumphantly, oblivious to the danger inches away.

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Another verified still shows the immediate aftermath: orange flames racing across the egg-carton-like acoustic foam, a polyurethane material experts identify as highly combustible if not properly treated with fire retardants. “Once ignited, polyurethane acoustic foam can exhibit rapid flame spread across its high-surface-area profile and produce dense, toxic smoke,” explained Dr. Peter Wilkinson from Loughborough University to BBC Verify. The foam’s convoluted design, meant for soundproofing, acted like kindling, allowing fire to spiderweb quickly.

Videos filmed inside the bar amplify the terror. In one clip, cheers give way to confusion as a small blaze on the ceiling grows exponentially. Partygoers initially film the spectacle, mistaking it for part of the show, while music continues pounding. Within 10-15 seconds, the fire engulfs the entire ceiling in a rolling wave of flame—a phenomenon known as flashover.

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Flashover occurs when heat builds to a critical point (around 500-600°C), igniting all combustible gases and materials simultaneously. In Le Constellation’s enclosed basement, with limited ventilation, superheated gases from the initial spark accumulated at the ceiling, then exploded outward. “Survival after flashover is very unlikely,” noted Michael Klippel, a fire safety expert at ETH Zurich. Videos show the room filling with thick black smoke, visibility dropping to zero, as panicked crowds surge toward the single narrow staircase—the primary exit.

Pre-fire images of the interior reveal the hazardous setup: low ceilings covered in untreated or inadequately treated PU foam, wooden elements, and no visible sprinklers or multiple escape routes compliant with modern standards. Renovation photos from 2015 show workers installing the distinctive egg-box foam panels, a cheap and common choice for nightclubs but notoriously flammable, as seen in past disasters.

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The rapid spread is eerily reminiscent of historical tragedies. The 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island killed 100 when pyrotechnics ignited similar acoustic foam, causing a flashover in under a minute. Romania’s 2015 Colectiv blaze claimed 64 lives from indoor fireworks sparking untreated materials. Experts point to a pattern: indoor pyrotechnics near flammable interiors create perfect storm conditions. In Crans-Montana, the sparklers—legal but risky—combined with the foam turned a confined space into a deathtrap.

Eyewitness accounts corroborate the visuals. “It happened in seconds,” one survivor told Reuters. “We thought it was a joke at first.” Videos from outside capture people smashing windows to escape, tumbling into the snow with clothes ablaze. The bottleneck at the narrow stairs led to a deadly crush, with bodies piling up as flames and smoke descended.

Prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud confirmed at a January 3 press conference: sparklers on bottles held “too close to the ceiling” triggered the blaze, leading to a “rapid, very rapid and widespread conflagration.” A criminal investigation targets negligence, examining whether the foam met Switzerland’s strict fire codes—requiring flame-retardant materials, multiple exits for venues over 200 capacity, and permits for pyrotechnics.

The human toll is devastating. Victims, many teens and young adults, included a 16-year-old Italian golfer and others from across Europe. Injured survivors, airlifted to burn units abroad, recount haunting scenes: “People burning from head to foot.” Families await DNA identifications amid charred remains.

As Crans-Montana mourns with vigils and half-mast flags, these images and videos serve as damning evidence. They expose how a quest for spectacle—sparklers for Instagram-worthy moments—ignored basic safety. In a nation renowned for precision, this tragedy highlights complacency in entertainment venues. The visuals are not just documentation; they are a urgent call for reform, ensuring no celebration ignites such preventable horror again.