France, Jan. 1 -- Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, which is set to host the Ski World Cup from January 30, after the fire broke out in the early hours of New Year's Day.

A tourist from New York, who filmed bright orange flames pouring from the bar, told the French news agency AFP he saw people running and screaming.

Authorities said they were still investigating the causes of the fire, which erupted at around 1:30am local time at Le Constellation bar, but said they did not believe it had been caused by an "attack".

"Several dozen people are presumed to have died," Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told reporters, adding that around 100 people had been woun...