‘Flashover fire,’ explained: How the Swiss ski resort blaze quickly developed
CNN••world
Key Points:
- A deadly fire at a ski resort bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, rapidly developed into a flashover, where nearly everything in the room ignites almost simultaneously, likely triggered by sparklers in champagne bottles near the ceiling.
- Authorities also consider a backdraft, an explosion caused by oxygen entering a room filled with hot gases, as a possible factor in the fire's rapid spread.
- Fire expert Stephen MacKenzie explained that flashovers produce ripples of smoke that preheat combustible materials and seek oxygen, with openings like doors creating a "chimney effect" that accelerates the fire.
- Medical staff reported that many hospitalized victims have injuries consistent with flashover burns, typically affecting exposed areas such as the face,
