The fire in Crans-Montana

Italian minister: At least 47 dead after fire

At least 47 people have died in the bar fire in Switzerland. This is stated by Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is in regular contact with the authorities in the neighboring country, according to Sky News' Italian website.

Swiss authorities have not yet given an exact figure officially, but announce that around 40 people have died. The country's federal president Guy Parmelin calls it one of the worst tragedies ever in the country.

Over 100 people are being treated in hospital, writes Blick. The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, but according to witnesses, pyrotechnics in champagne bottles may have caused the ceiling to catch fire. Among others, the BBC has published a film that is said to show how the fire starts in the ceiling.

Two visitors tell the French BFMTV that the venue quickly filled with smoke.

– We couldn't breathe.

They managed to get out by kicking a window.

Film shows flames on the ceiling: "It happened in seconds"

Several media outlets have published a film showing how the massive fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana is gaining momentum. The short film shows flames shooting from the ceiling while music blares from the speakers.

Several witnesses believe that it was sparkler-like pyrotechnics, placed in bottles, that caused the ceiling to catch fire. The fire then spread very quickly.

– It happened in seconds, says a French visitor according to the BBC.

Another witness tells Blick that the ceiling caught fire when a woman sat on another woman's shoulders, while waving the pyrotechnics near the ceiling.

According to Italy's foreign minister, at least 47 people have died. Swiss authorities have not yet given an official figure, but say around 40 people have died and over 100 people are being treated in hospital.