Berlin: A fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps has left people dead and injured during New Year’s celebrations, police said early Thursday.

Multiple people were killed in the blaze, and many others were injured in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police said.

“The fire started around 1:30 am this morning in a bar called Le Constellation,” police spokesperson Gaetan Lathion said. “More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead.”

A reception centre and helpline have been set up for impacted families, Lathion said.

“We’re just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists,” Lathion said.

A news conference was scheduled by police for 10 am in Crans-Montana. The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the Matterhorn.