Swiss Bar Fire Tragedy: Videos Show Partygoers Still Dancing and Filming Instead of Fleeing as Ceiling Burns

Graphic footage from inside Le Constellation, a popular bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans‑Montana, shows party-goers continuing to dance and record on their phones as flames spread across the ceiling in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The videos, widely shared across social media, display a progressively troubling scenario before chaos eventually ensued. Several posts on X have criticised the way guests reacted.

Legal books author Hans Mahncke wrote: 'The urge to record stuff is now powerful enough to override instincts programmed into humans since the dawn of time.' Another use also posted: '40 people, who could have reached safety, died because they seem, quite literally, to have forgotten that danger is real.'

More online responses display a widespread sense of frustration. 'The building is on fire. Instead of running, people pull out phones for the gram,' wrote one commentator, capturing the grim irony evident in the circulating clips. Critics say the clips – while shocking – underscore how people often fail to recognise or respond to risk, especially in crowded, alcohol‑fuelled environments.

Safety Failures Under Scrutiny

Public commentary has also focused on the structural and procedural dangers inside the bar, with numerous individuals labelling it a death trap.

Mahncke shared an image of the bar's exit, noting: 'The only escape door in the Swiss bar catastrophe opened inward. You don't need a fire inspector to see the insanity.'

Broadcaster Piers Morgan weighed in and added: 'Those responsible for the horrendously unsafe death trap, need to be identified asap and held criminally liable.'

Fire safety experts point to inward‑opening doors, overcrowding, and flammable ceiling materials as key factors that contributed to the catastrophic outcome. Combined with patrons' delayed flight responses, these elements turned a festive night into a deadly incident.

Witnesses Recall Panic and Horror

Witnesses recounted chilling moments as fire engulfed Le Constellation. A witness named Axel recounted how he flipped a table to protect himself during his escape. 'We were trying to get out. It was chaos,' he told Reuters, adding that he still does not know the whereabouts of some friends.

Another witness, Nathan, described the fire's origin inside the bar. He said a woman was on another's shoulders, waving two bottles and birthday sparklers too high. 'They hit the ceiling and suddenly caught fire,' Nathan stated.

Outside the bar, 22-year-old French tourist Jeremy Halna shared that he and his friends reached the scene prior to emergency responders and provided assistance to the victims themselves. 'People were in such distress that we could hear enormous screams,' he said. Two other friends rescued a man from the floor, staying with him for over an hour to provide comfort, while Halna ran to nearby bars for blankets and water.

Tragic Fire Leaves Many Dead

The fire, which broke out at around 1:30 a.m. on 1 January 2026, at the Le Constellation bar in Switzerland. It left at least 40 people dead and more than 115 injured, according to Swiss authorities. A number of young celebrants welcoming the New Year were among the victims, including a 17-year-old Italian teenager who was one of the first confirmed casualties.

Le Constellation is a popular establishment located in Crans-Montana, a high-end ski destination in the Valais region. Officials have indicated that the location could have been filled to its maximum capacity, potentially with hundreds of individuals in attendance during the fire.

Emergency services swiftly mobilised, deploying numerous ambulances, helicopters, and more than 150 responders to the location to aid victims and manage the fire. Individuals with severe injuries have been transported to specialised burn units throughout Switzerland, with some being moved to hospitals in other European countries due to limitations in capacity.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin has characterised the tragedy as one of the most traumatic events in recent national history, prompting five days of national mourning.