The tragedy occurred during the early hours of Thursday at Le Constellation, a bar in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana.

Here is what we know so far.

Follow latest: Several dozen feared dead in fire

How many people have died or been injured?

Dozens of people are thought to have been killed in the blaze, Swiss police said at a news conference on Thursday morning.

Around 100 others have also been hurt, with the majority of those seriously injured.

"This evening should have been a moment of celebration and coming together, but it turned into a nightmare," said Mathias Renard, head of the regional government.

Authorities have not confirmed an exact number of fatalities, although the Italian foreign ministry said Swiss authorities had reported at least 40 deaths to it.

The Italian foreign ministry added that many victims can't be identified due to the severe burns on their bodies.

The intensive care unit of the local hospital is full, Mr Renard said at the news conference. Patients are being transferred to other facilities around the country.

He said 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances were mobilised after the alarm was raised.

A witness who spoke to French broadcaster BFMTV said people smashed windows to try to escape the blaze as parents rushed to the scene in cars to see whether their children were trapped inside.

The witness, who said he watched from across the street, likened what he saw to a horror movie.

What are the nationalities of the victims?

The Swiss authorities said some of the victims are from other countries, but the nationalities and identities of those killed and injured are yet to be confirmed.

Two French nationals are among the injured, France's foreign ministry said.

The UK embassy to Switzerland said: "We continue to monitor the situation. Whilst we have not been approached for assistance, our staff stand ready to support British nationals abroad 24/7."

Where did the incident happen?

The bar is in Crans-Montana, in the Valais region at the heart of the Swiss Alps, which is popular with British tourists and skiers from across Europe.

It is just 40km (25m) north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and approximately two hours from the Swiss capital of Bern.

What happened?

The incident occurred at around 1.30am local time (12.30am UK time) while guests were celebrating the start of 2026.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at the moment, but officials have ruled out an attack.

Earlier reports in Swiss news outlet Blick suggest it may have been caused by pyrotechnics during a concert.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking to Italy's Sky TG24, said the fire may have been caused by a "firecracker" - but stressed the situation remained unclear.

Two French women who claim to have escaped from the venue after the fire broke out told BFMTV that the blaze originated from one of the "birthday candles" placed on champagne bottles.

"One of them was brought too close to the ceiling, which caught fire. In a few dozen seconds, the whole ceiling was on fire. Everything was made of wood," one of the women said.

Is the incident being treated as terror-related?

No. Swiss authorities confirmed the incident is being treated as a fire and not an attack.

"At the moment we are considering this a fire and we are not considering the ‍possibility of an attack," prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said at a press conference.

Authorities have opened a full investigation.

In a statement shared by Gloucestershire Constabulary, Tom Shearman said: "I have stared at my keypad for what seems like an eternity waiting for the words to appear.

"I have no way to thank any of you for the unbelievable out of this world generosity that you have shown to me in the darkest of hours.

"My life, the lives of my loved ones, my friends and the whole community changed on Boxing Day. Most importantly, and tragically, three of the greatest humans to ever grace our presence were taken from not just me, but all of us.

"I cannot begin to describe the anguish and trauma of the events of Boxing Day 2025. My family had its very core, its very essence, ripped from it in the most violent way."

The bodies of Fionnghuala Shearman, known as Nu, and their children, Eve and Ohner, were found in the property in Stroud. Their pet dog, Hutch, also died in the fire.

Mr Shearman was taken to hospital for treatment, but has since been discharged. He attempted to rescue his family but was beaten back by the severity of the blaze.

Emergency services were called to the family's mid-terrace Cotswold stone cottage on Brimscombe Hill at about 3am on Boxing Day.

Mr and Mrs Shearman, who ran a bespoke handbag manufacturer, had been awoken by the fire and tried to reach their children in the rear bedroom.

Police believe the fire started on the ground floor and investigations are ongoing to establish the cause, but it is not being treated as suspicious, rather as a "tragic accident".

The fire destroyed the roof, the ceilings and stairs, as well as causing other significant internal damage.

Deputy chief fire officer Nathaniel Hooton said firefighters worked extremely hard to get in to the house as the fire raged.

An online fundraising appeal launched for Mr Shearman has so far raised more than £300,000.

Mr Shearman's statement continued: "My family and friends have rallied around and provided me with more than the bare essentials. I have a roof (and many offers) over my head, clothes on my back, food - most importantly company and compassion. I will heal.

"I have already started the ball rolling on a plan that came to me just as I was falling past the precipice of the abyss. I will make sure my unbelievably talented, empathetic, compassionate and beautiful wife's legacy of craft, design and making lives on," he said.

"As will I ensure that my bright spark Eve's legacy of enjoyment from books and writing be carried on. Along with my incredible son's sheer compassion and desire to help people."

"Please all take every opportunity to hug your loved ones, tell them you love them. Because, as Paulo Coelho said, one day you will wake up and there won't be any more time to do the things you want. Do it now."

The former senior cabinet minister has been speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby as part of a special episode of Electoral Dysfunction marking a decade since the 2016 vote to leave the EU.

Now a peer in the House of Lords, Baron Gove admitted he probably did not do "the right thing" by warning against Mr Johnson's leadership prospects in the aftermath of the referendum.

A Conservative Party leadership race was kicked off following the resignation of David Cameron, who led the Remain campaign and lost. Mr Johnson and Baron Gove had been two of the most prominent Leave campaigners.

Former mayor of London Mr Johnson was seen as the clear favourite to replace Lord Cameron, but before he officially declared if he would stand, his until then loyal friend and fellow campaigner turned against him.

Baron Gove said Mr Johnson "cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead". It led The Daily Telegraph to accuse him of "the most spectacular political assassination in a generation".

In the end, Mr Johnson announced he would not stand in the race, and backed Andrea Leadsom. But she later dropped out, leaving only Theresa May standing, who went on to become prime minister.

Asked about his late intervention which killed Mr Johnson's campaign before it began, Baron Gove told Sky News: "I think on balance, it would have been better all round if I had thought, 'OK, I may have these profound worries, but it is better that I keep them to myself and that I do everything possible to make things work.'

"I think that would probably have been the right thing, but other people will make their own judgment about whether or not that was."

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Baron Gove also admitted he recognised at the time that Mr Johnson was "the senior partner".

But he added: "In the days immediately afterwards, the way in which Boris behaved portrayed to me a fundamental unseriousness about the scale of the task that made me feel that he wasn't ready to discharge the responsibilities of being prime minister."

Pushed by Beth Rigby whether he has further regrets from that time, he said: "As I look back, there are some decisions where I think that was absolutely the right thing, there are decisions where that's absolutely the wrong thing, and some things where I think it is just unknowable.

"What I can't do is… really truly know in those circumstances how things might have worked out."

No regrets over infamous bus

One thing Baron Gove does not regret is the "Brexit bus" emblazoned with the claim that the UK sends £350m to the EU every week, which should instead go to the NHS. It was widely criticised by other politicians and statisticians as being inaccurate.

"I can recite facts and figures forever, not just proving, but proving beyond doubt that those statements were true and if anything, I will never convince anyone on the other side," Baron Gove said.

Remain campaign 'lamentable'

On today's special episode of Electoral Dysfunction, Beth Rigby was also joined by former Liberal Democrat leader and Lord Cameron's deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg.

He said the Remain side ran a "lamentable campaign", while the then chancellor, George Osborne, "clearly decided to conduct this referendum like a sort of bean counting exercise".

He also told Electoral Dysfunction: "I'm not overstating the case to say that if the Liberal Democrats had continued to be in government [post-2015], then Brexit would not have happened. Undoubtedly."

Mr Clegg also warned of the rise of the populists on both sides of the Atlantic.

He said: "You see it across America, North America and Europe. A deep, deep dissatisfaction, election after election, vote after vote.

"Of course, over time that means that mainstream parties fail and are elbowed aside by more populist movements who are much, much better at saying to voters that they're going to deliver some vast sweeping change, but of course they won't either."

He also said he thinks Nigel Farage has a "very strong chance" of becoming PM if there was an election tomorrow.

As always, our correspondents are on the ground covering the major stories so that you get the full story, first.

Here's what they think you can expect from the next 12 months.

Amanda Akass, political correspondent, on the prime minister's future

2026 is already shaping up to be a make-or-break year for Sir Keir Starmer.

The moment of maximum jeopardy will come during May's elections: catastrophic losses could lead to an open revolt against the PM.

It's entirely possible the Welsh Labour government will be defeated by Plaid Cymru - losing power in Cardiff for the first time. And with Labour's resurgence in Scotland fading fast, it looks like the SNP will hold on in Holyrood.

Depending on the scale of Reform UK's success in the local elections, Kemi Badenoch may also face a leadership challenge.

The issue of illegal migration will continue to dominate political debate. The PM is hoping tougher policies and new action from French police will start to stop the boats. If not, the pressure will only intensify.

Promised attempts to finally deliver on welfare reform will be another moment of peril, with reviews into personal independence payments and youth unemployment due to report back.

Starmer will continue to stay busy on the international stage, with ongoing efforts to forge a closer relationship with the EU, bolster support for Ukraine, and also move closer to China - with a controversial visit to Beijing expected.

Finally, the long-awaited assisted dying bill is due to become law in 2026 - though with so much opposition in the Lords, the bill may run out of parliamentary time.

Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor, on NATO and Russia

World politics in 2026 will be dominated by one of the biggest crises in transatlantic relations since World War Two as a chasm opens between Europe and America under Donald Trump.

The US president apparently believes European civilisation is in danger because of mass migration, multicultural woke politics and European weakness.

The recent White House national security strategy is an implicitly racist document insinuating that European NATO countries cannot be relied on if their non-white majorities are eclipsed.

At the same time, the Trump administration is looking increasingly susceptible to being seduced by Russia with the offer of closer business and trade ties.

No American-Russian rapprochement in modern history has ended well, but Trump is seeking one nonetheless.

European allies worry that his administration will push for a quick and easy peace in the Ukraine war, which as a result will not prove a lasting one.

One pressing question for the year ahead is can European leaders find a way of living with an unreliable partner in Washington who does not share their values, whatever they claim to the contrary, or is some kind of deeper split increasingly inevitable?

Lisa Holland, communities correspondent, on the migration debate

It's been coming for a couple of years but in many ways the genie is out of the bottle on migration - in other words people feel more emboldened to make their voice heard.

Whether they actually feel listened to is a different issue. And I would say largely not.

So for the coming year I think protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers will continue and the voice of those with legitimate concerns will sound loudly.

Because it feels like there's a lack of belief that things will change against a backdrop of several years of spiralling migration levels.

UK net migration saw a dip during the pandemic but then surged to record highs, driven largely by non-EU workers and students, before falling sharply by late 2025 due to new visa restrictions.

The issue isn’t just small boat arrivals - legal net migration has given a sense that migration has been out of control.

But protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers have been a lightening rod for that sentiment - they’ve been somewhere to go for people to make a stand not just about small boats but the wider issues.

The public has seen successive plans to control migration fail. The Conservatives’ idea to send asylum seekers to Rwanda came to nothing and Labour's so-called "one in one out" scheme has resulted in just a few asylum seekers being returned to France.

The home secretary has laid out bold plans to control immigration. The challenge for 2026 is proving they will work.

Helen-Ann Smith, Asia correspondent, on China and Trump

2026 is a year when we can expect to see a continuing surge in Chinese confidence and assertiveness which may well have major implications for global order.

Indeed, Xi Jinping and, by extension, China are ending the year looking stronger than they have for some time.

The re-emergence of Donald Trump was always going to be a challenge for China; his unpredictability and the presence of long-standing China hawks on his top team no doubt caused some initial anxiety.

But on the whole the challenges have been deftly handled.

For instance, sky-high tariffs on Chinese goods have been reduced, in part, because China refused to yield and was willing to play a very powerful card it has at its disposal: squeezing the global supply of crucial rare earth metals.

Trump is even expected to visit Beijing in April.

Meanwhile, China is also successfully taking advantage of a world that Trump is changing. It has welcomed with open arms nations disillusioned by tariffs, and is enthusiastically filling funding gaps left by the withdrawal of US aid.

Expect this drum beat of diplomacy to continue.

This confidence is also underpinned by enormous successes in the field of science and technology. The development of high-tech industries has been repeatedly pushed as a key strategy for China’s development in the coming years, and in the field of AI it is making rapid gains.

China heads into 2026 feeling very buoyed by how this has all gone, and you can expect it to feed a renewed bullishness, particularly over issues it cares deeply about.

Watch, for instance, whether it will start to leverage more pressure on the US to row back its allegiance to Taiwan.

Mickey Carroll, science and technology reporter, on the rise of AI

If 2025 was the year AI went mainstream, 2026 could be the year it gets smarter.

One of OpenAI's co-founders, Ilya Sutskever, recently predicted that big AI companies will go back to the drawing board and start researching again in 2026.

Their AIs have definitely become more powerful, but they're not as intelligent as these companies want them to be.

So, instead of continuing to scale and make the models bigger and bigger, Sutskever told tech podcaster Dwarkesh Patel that companies will start looking for new ideas again.

They'll return to the research phase, instead of staying in the scaling phase.

Others in the industry, like data company SAS and investors at FTV Capital, say 2026 will be the year AI meets reality. We'll start seeing just how compatible our power grids, infrastructure, and regulations are for the scale of AI that is coming.

Nearly 100 new data centres are expected to be built in the UK over the next five years, all taking power from the national energy grid, which has long been in need of reform.

The government is also relying on an evolving strategy that targets specific problems as they come up, rather than having a single AI bill, like in the EU. Although it is seen as a pro-innovation strategy, it risks leaving companies in the dark about how to operate in the UK.

And I thought I'd ask the expert itself; ChatGPT reckons 2026 will be the year of the AI agent, when AI will become targeted and able to do our daily tasks.

Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent, on the Ukraine war and Russia

2026 looks set to be a pivotal year for the war in Ukraine as diplomatic and domestic pressures build.

The EU's loan agreement has solved Ukraine's financial constraints, but it still faces a manpower shortage. For Russia, the cost of war is climbing too amid falling oil revenues, slowing growth, and rising taxes.

Analysts believe Moscow can sustain its war effort through 2026 under current economic conditions, but there could be a political dimension too.

On 11 January, the war will have lasted longer than the Soviet Union's victorious fight against Nazi Germany. But where Stalin went from Moscow to Berlin, Vladimir Putin is yet to take the Donbas.

It's an unfavourable comparison which could make some question whether it's been worth it.

Russia will also hold its first parliamentary election since launching its invasion.

The result is a foregone conclusion but the war, if it's still being waged, will nevertheless come under scrutiny. It could be the point Putin wants to have declared victory by.

Complete control of the Donbas appears to be the bare minimum for a "win".

But despite all the diplomacy, a compromise on territory appears no closer. Nor does an agreement on security guarantees.

Whether that changes depends on the pressures at home, and those applied by Donald Trump, assuming he retains the patience to push for peace.

The Italian manager's departure had been expected following a breakdown in relations with key figures at Stamford Bridge, Sky Sports News reported.

The club said: "During his time at the club, Enzo led the team to success in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

"Those achievements will remain an important part of the club's recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the club.

"With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.

"We wish Enzo well for the future."

The former Leicester boss was appointed as successor to Mauricio Pochettino in June 2024.

After 18 months in charge, he departs with the club fifth in the Premier League table - 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal - following one win from their last seven top-flight games.

Maresca, 45, guided Chelsea to Champions League qualification via a fourth-placed finish last season, in addition to winning the Conference League and Club World Cup.

His contract was due to run until 2029, with Chelsea holding an option for a further 12 months.

Speculation of a rift with the Chelsea hierarchy had grown after Maresca claimed following his side's 2-0 win over Everton on 13 December he had endured his "worst 48 hours" at the club because "many people didn't support me and the team".

He then repeatedly refused to clarify the comments.

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Maresca's final match was Tuesday's 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth.

The club return to action on Sunday away to Manchester City, the first of nine fixtures across four competitions during a packed January schedule.

Liam Rosenior, the head coach of French club Strasbourg, who are owned by Chelsea's parent company BlueCo, has emerged as the early favourite to replace Maresca among bookmakers.

Former Barcelona head coach Xavi, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, Fulham's Marco Silva and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola are other potential candidates.