Swiss fire tragedy: Hungarian authorities comment on whether Hungarians were involved

Hungarian authorities have confirmed that there are no Hungarian victims or injured citizens in the devastating fire that broke out in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Responding to an inquiry from Telex, the ministry said that based on currently available information, no Hungarian nationals were affected by the tragedy. While the identification of victims is still ongoing, the Hungarian embassy has not received any requests for assistance, and all Hungarian citizens registered for consular protection in Switzerland are safe.

Dozens dead in Crans-Montana blaze

Swiss officials provided further details at a press conference on Friday afternoon. Mathias Reynard, president of the cantonal council of Valais, confirmed that more than 40 people lost their lives in the fire, while 119 others were injured. Authorities have so far identified 113 of the injured.

According to Frédéric Gisler, the canton’s police chief, those identified include 71 Swiss nationals, along with 14 French, 11 Italian, four Serbian, and one each from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Poland, and Portugal. The nationality of 14 injured individuals remains unknown.

The fire broke out in a bar at the Crans-Montana ski resort shortly after 1:30 AM on Thursday, rapidly spreading and causing widespread devastation.

Hungarian leaders express condolences

Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a message shared on Facebook and X. He said he was deeply shaken by the news of the tragic fire and offered his heartfelt sympathy to those who lost loved ones.

“I express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the deceased, as well as for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the president wrote, adding that Hungarians stand in solidarity with the Swiss people during this difficult time.

Parliament speaker sends official message

Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament László Kövér also sent an official message of condolence to his Swiss counterparts, including the presidents of the Swiss National Council and the Council of States.

In his message, Kövér said he was deeply saddened by the deadly blaze that claimed around forty lives and left more than a hundred people injured. On behalf of the Hungarian National Assembly, he expressed sympathy to the victims’ families and wished a swift recovery to those injured, MTI reported.

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