News and Insight

The Switzerland nightclub fire

05 January 2026

On New Years Eve 31^st December 2025, at approximately midnight local time, a fire broke out in the basement floor of a 3-storey nightclub/bar in the Switzerland ski resort of Crans-Montana. It is believed to have started due to fireworks/sparklers igniting the foam covered ceiling, and quickly spread across the ceiling to flashover.

The single staircase exit up to the ground floor quickly became untenable, and sadly 40 people lost their lives with well over 100 injured, some very seriously. The building did not have a sprinkler system. The fire spread to the ground and upper floors fuelled by the timber wall cladding and furniture.

Whilst the authorities having jurisdiction investigate, RICS sends condolences to those families affected who have lost loved ones and to those who have been injured by this tragic event, one of the worst in Switzerland’s history. We stand ready to assist in ensuring such an event can never happen again, and our experience post the Grenfell Tower fire particularly in relation to unsafe products and fire risk management will be made available.

For more information contact knowledge@rics.org.

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