The Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana was described as a town split in two following a blaze that tore through a bar at a New Year’s Eve party in the early hours of Thursday.
Martin Meul, a reporter at the Swiss German-language newspaper Blick who was at the burned-out bar Thursday afternoon, told CNN’s Fred Pleitgen that for holidaymakers, life at the popular resort was continuing.
Meanwhile, at the scene, authorities appeared to removing the remains of the deceased from the destroyed venue.
“A coroner arrived… and we assume they are transporting the bodies away now,” Meul said, adding, “We have two worlds in one place; one very tragic world… and the touristic world, where life is going on.”
According to Meul, the rescue effort was a “huge operation,” with ten helicopters transferring some of the injured to hospitals and taking others to specialized clinics for fire victims in the Swiss cities of Geneva and Zurich.
The reporter explained that authorities were yet to provide any further information about the deadly incident, and that the scene is still cordoned off, “Everything is covered with plastic… everything is closed… you cannot pass,” Meul said.