"Several dozen dead" in Swiss bar fire - police

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Around 40 people killed, Italian foreign ministry says, citing Swiss police

As we've reported, Swiss authorities believe "several dozen" people have died in the fire - and say they can't be more specific.

Now, the Italian foreign ministry, citing Swiss police, say they believe around 40 people have died.

The ministry adds the victims could not be immediately identified because of the severity of their burns, Reuters reports.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c8xdxvj2qjdt?post=asset%3Ab5733cca-ec8b-411c-a699-4194263ad8d0#post

Police initially said there had been an explosion, but have since referred to it as a fire and have said it is too early to speculate on the cause.

Asked about the reports of an explosion, regional security official Stéphane Ganzer said it "is not the detonation of an explosive device that causes the fire, it is the fire which, as it develops, causes an explosion and a general conflagration of the premises".

Local reports had also suggested pyrotechnics could have been involved.

The regional police commander Frédéric Gisler said smoke was first seen emanating from a bar at around 01:30 local time, at which point emergency services were called.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dvyyjyj18o