A devastating fire that broke out during New Year’s Eve celebrations at a bar in Switzerland has left more than 40 people dead and over a hundred others injured.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Saturday that a national of the Czech Republic was hurt in the blaze.

While officials have not yet released details about the person’s age or the extent of their injuries, they confirmed that the individual is among those receiving medical care following the incident.

The scale of the disaster has pushed Swiss authorities to seek international assistance. Switzerland has formally asked European Union member states to help treat patients suffering from severe burns and inhalation injuries.

Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtěch said the Czech Republic responded without delay, offering hospital capacity for patients requiring specialized treatment.

Some of the injured are now being considered for transfer abroad, including to the burn unit at Královské Vinohrady University Hospital in Prague, one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Central Europe.

Many of those hospitalized are reported to be in critical condition, with serious airway damage caused by smoke and extreme heat.

Near the destroyed Le Constellation bar, mourners have created an improvised memorial, laying flowers, lighting candles, and leaving handwritten messages.

Swiss police announced on Saturday that the first four victims have been identified. The bodies of a boy and a girl, both aged 16, an 18-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were returned to their families after the identification.

The fire at Le Constellation bar turned a New Year’s Eve celebration into one of the country’s worst tragedies, and was likely started by sparklers carried in champagne bottles, officials said on Friday afternoon.

They added that 113 out of 119 people injured had been formally identified, acknowledging the prolonged heartache for families still waiting to hear about their missing loved ones.

| Fire safety and facilities criticised

While the treatment of the fire victims continues, criticism of the bar’s fire safety and structural design is also growing.

According to eyewitnesses, there was a massive crush on a narrow staircase leading from the basement to the ground floor when people tried to leave the Le Constellation bar.

Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more