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Police have confirmed that “several dozen” people have died in the explosion, with around 100 injured.

The Italian foreign ministry have said information from Swiss police suggested about 40 deaths, but police were not more specific than “dozens” at the press conference.

At around 1.30am local time, smoke was noted at the bar and emergency services were called. Fire and police patrols “rapidly reached the site”.

There were several hundred people affected by the blast, and from many different nationalities, officials have said. They said it will take time to uncover who has been killed and injured, and where they are from, with many nationalities likely to have been involved.

Firefighters have been mobilised from across the entire region, officials said.

Many victims have “severe burns”, officials added. The local hospitals’ intensive care units “are full” and some patients are having to be transferred to hospitals in other cantons for urgent care.

There is no suggestion that this was a terrorist attack, police confirmed.

The area has been completely closed off, and a no-fly zone has been imposed over Crans-Montana, police said in a statement.

A police official told this morning’s press conference that everyone involved in the operation is “stunned” by this “painful moment”.