(AP) — A Chabad rabbi in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana said three Jewish individuals were seriously injured in a deadly fire at a nearby bar, as authorities continued investigating the incident.
Rabbi Yitzchak Levi Pevzner, the local Chabad shliach, said he has been assisting community members and residents at an emergency center set up by authorities after the fire broke out in a bar located in the same building complex as the synagogue.
“We heard a huge explosion at night and immediately understood that something terrible had happened,” Pevzner told Israel’s Channel 12. “Within a short time, the streets were filled with people, ambulances and rescue forces. It is a terrible disaster.”
Pevzner said there was initial concern the incident may have been directed at the synagogue or Jewish community, but authorities later ruled that out. He said members of the community quickly mobilized to assist however possible.
Swiss officials said about 40 people were killed and roughly 115 injured, many critically, and warned that identifying all victims could take several days. Prosecutors said the fire was accidental and not the result of an attack.
The Jewish community in Crans-Montana said it remains in close contact with police and that the synagogue was not damaged, while expressing prayers for the victims and the injured.
