Several members of the Jewish kehilla were injured in a fire at the Crans-Montana ski resort in Switzerland, which occurred near the local shul, Mako reported.

Reports say that at least 40 people were killed and over 100 were injured in the fire, many of them tourists who had come for celebrations at the Swiss Alpine resort.

According to Rabbi Yitzhak Levi Pevzner, the Chabad shliach in Crans-Montana, two Jews are missing. A special ZAKA delegation is on the way to the country to assist in search efforts. The injured Jews have been evacuated to nearby hospitals.

There are currently no reports of Israelis at the site during the explosion.

Rabbi Pevzner is at the emergency center set up by local authorities and is assisting both community members and local residents. “We heard a huge explosion at night and understood that something terrible had happened,” he said. “Within a short time, all the streets were filled with people, ambulances, and emergency and rescue forces. It is a terrible disaster. We all mobilized and came here to help in any way possible.”

“I’ve been receiving calls and messages from residents and friends in the community asking how we are and hoping for good news. There was concern that this might have been an attack aimed at the shul or the Jewish community, but that is not the case.”

Swiss authorities emphasized that the explosion was not a terrorist attack. The chief prosecutor of the Valais district, Beatrice Pilloud, clarified at a press conference, “The possibility of an attack can be completely ruled out.”

The circumstances of the explosion and fire are still unclear, and an investigation is ongoing with the assistance of forensic experts. Preliminary assessments in local media suggested that the incident may have been caused by the use of pyrotechnic devices during celebrations at the venue, but authorities called on the public to refrain from speculation.

Police said that many tourists are among the dead and injured due to Crans-Montana’s status as a popular international ski resort. The identities of the victims have not yet been released, and authorities asked the public to follow instructions, avoid the area, and limit visits to hospitals so as not to burden the emergency system. The investigation is ongoing, and updates will continue as additional official information becomes available.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)