The catastrophe at a ski resort in Switzerland now appears to have found its explanation. The fire, which resulted in about 40 deaths and over 100 injuries, is believed to have been caused by drink sparklers.

The accident occurred at the Crans-Montana ski resort on New Year’s Eve. An image has surfaced that purportedly shows the moment the fire broke out in the Le Constellation bar, with guests holding sparklers in bottles while the ceiling silently caught fire.

This is believed to be where the fire started

The ceiling reportedly contained sound insulation, which is highly flammable:

Shortly afterward, videos show people trying to extinguish the fire, but many still do not appear particularly worried, as they remain to film or continue partying.

Soon after, the fire spread rapidly and people fled in panic. Warning: Graphic images.

Spread Rapidly

Two women told the French TV channel BFMTV that they were inside the club when they saw a male bartender lift a female colleague onto his shoulders while she was holding a lit candle in a bottle. The fire spread quickly and caused the wooden ceiling to collapse, according to the women.

As the fire took off, guests desperately tried to get out from the basement venue via a narrow staircase and through a tight door, leading to heavy congestion, according to one of the women.

A young man at the scene recounted that people smashed windows to escape the fire, and that several were badly injured. He said he saw about 20 people fighting to get away from the smoke and flames.

Melted Onto the Skin

Gianni Campolo, a 19-year-old Swiss national who was on vacation in Crans-Montana, hurried to the scene to help rescue teams after receiving a call from a friend who had managed to get out.

“When we got closer, we saw nearly dismembered people lying unconscious on the floor. There were also people still inside, trapped, lying on the ground. We saw how their clothes had melted onto their skin,” Campolo told TF1. “I have seen horror and I don’t know what could be worse than this.”

Rapid Fire Development

Swiss authorities describe the fire as an “embrasement généralisé”, a fire engineering term referring to the rapid release and ignition of combustible gases—a phenomenon known in English as flashover or backdraft.

The injured have suffered serious burns and smoke inhalation. Several have been airlifted to specialist hospitals across the country.

Authorities have also urged the public to exercise caution in the coming days to avoid further accidents that could burden an already strained healthcare system.

Italians and French Among the Missing

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani laid flowers at the memorial site in Crans-Montana and said that 13 Italian citizens were injured, with six still missing as of noon on Friday.

One of the missing is Giovanni Tamburi. His mother, Carla Masielli, pleaded on Italian state television for information about her son and asked media outlets to show his picture in hopes of identifying him.

“We have called all the hospitals but they are not giving us any news. We don’t know if he is among the dead. We don’t know if he is among the missing,” she said.

Three of the injured Italians were transferred from Switzerland to a hospital in Milan on Thursday, while a fourth is expected to be transported on Friday, according to Tajani.

France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that eight French citizens are missing and another nine have been injured. The French football club FC Metz announced that one of its talents, 19-year-old Tahirys Dos Santos, suffered severe burns and has been flown to Germany for treatment.