Swiss authorities have now identified all 40 victims of the tragic fire that erupted at a bar in Switzerland on New Year’s Eve. This devastating incident at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana is believed to have started when partygoers lit sparklers attached to champagne bottles, leading to a rapid and uncontrollable blaze.

The fire quickly developed into a “flashover,” engulfing the venue in a matter of seconds. Among the 40 victims, individuals hailed from seven different countries, with 26 of them aged between 14 and 18. The severity of the fire left some victims burnt beyond recognition, necessitating the use of DNA analysis for identification.

The deceased included 10 Swiss males aged 16 to 31, and 11 Swiss females aged 14 to 24. Additionally, there was a Swiss-French dual national woman aged 24, three Italian boys aged 16, and two Italian girls aged 15 and 16. Five French males, ranging from 14 to 39 years old, were also among those who perished.

Further identified were two French women aged 33 and 26, a 15-year-old girl with triple British-French-Israeli nationality, a 16-year-old boy with dual Italian-UAE nationality, an 18-year-old Romanian boy, a 17-year-old Belgian girl, a 22-year-old Portuguese woman, and an 18-year-old Turkish boy.

The tragedy did not end with the fatalities; 119 people sustained injuries, with some still in critical condition. The bar’s French proprietors, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are under investigation, facing serious charges of manslaughter, bodily harm, and arson due to alleged negligence.

Another 119 were injured, some of them still fighting for their lives. Le Constellation’s French owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti are under investigation, suspected of manslaughter, bodily harm and arson, all by way of negligence. 

Investigators are examining whether the soundproof material used on the ceiling of the bar conformed to safety measures.

Former staff have also claimed that safety standards at the club were poor, alleging that fire extinguishers were kept under lock and key and that the bar’s emergency exit was often locked. 

The names of those who died in the fire have gradually come to light following the tragedy, released by families and foreign authorities in recent days as identities have been confirmed.

Alice Kallergis

Greek-Swiss citizen Alice Kallergis, 15, had been reported missing following the fire at Le Constellation at New Year, with her brother issuing an appeal online.

State broadcaster for Greece ERT had reported that she was a permanent resident of Switzerland. 

Her death was confirmed by the Greek foreign ministry on Sunday, ERT reported this morning.

Alice’s father, Antonis Kallergis, shared an image on social media showing a line drawing of an angel, accompanied by the name ‘Alice’. This was later shared by her brother Romain, who had been the face of the family’s public appeals.

Giovanni Tamburi

Teenager Giovanni Tamburi, 16, hailed from Bologna in Italy but had gone to Crans-Montana for a holiday with his father, who has a house in Switzerland.

A student at Righi High School, he is said to have gone to Le Constellation after a dinner with friends – but never made it home.

A memorial service was held for Tamburi at the Church of Sant’Isaia in Bologna lats night, reported La Repubblica, where shocked classmates remembered him.

One classmate, Emilia, told the publication: ‘What happened makes it clear he had no escape. And it’s painful to read the speculations of adults, who these days talk about the superficiality of young people.’

His former religion teacher, Don Vincenzo Passarelli, added: ‘As a man of faith, I’m sure he’s in heaven, but it’s heartbreaking for those left behind, parents, friends.’

Achille Barosi

Achille Barosi, 16, went back to Le Constellation at 1.30am on New Year’s Day after leaving without his phone and jacket.

Moments later, the fire took hold – and the teenager from Milan was later confirmed to be among the dead.

His aunt had described him to the media as an avid painter, and had been attending an art school in the Italian style capital.

His cousin, Edoardo Sparacino, told Italian news agency ANSA: ‘I spoke to Achille’s friends who were there and they told me that my cousin had returned to the club for a moment when the explosion occurred.’

Tristan Pidoux

Tristan Pidoux, 17, had been at Le Constellation celebrating the New Year with his friends, according to an appeal on social media.

The Swiss national had initially been named as among the missing before the worst was confirmed by authorities on Saturday.

A post on social media issued by his family read: ‘We have just learned that our angel Tristan has left us… we are in shock.

‘I kept my promise to keep you informed, but I am going to take a break from social media because I am devastated… life is so unfair. May you rest in peace.’

Chiara Costanzo

Sixteen-year-old Chiara Costanzo from Milan was one of the six Italian nationals confirmed dead in the fire.

Her heartbroken father, Andrea Costanzo, confirmed to Corriere della Sera: ‘I just received the phone call that should never come to a father. A dull, unspeakable pain: my beloved Chiara is no longer with us.’

He had hoped that his daughter would be among those missing, her identity yet to be confirmed, before his worst fears were realised. He said she had gone to Le Constellation with friends ‘by chance’ for New Year, and had been there before.

Mr Costanzo continued: ‘(She was) the most extraordinary to ever walk the earth.

‘The pain now is greater than the thirst for justice. I don’t even know if it will ever come. Now I just feel a great emptiness.’

Sofia Prosperi

Sofia Prosperi, 15, grew up in Castel San Pietro in the Swiss canton of Ticino, and had been attending the top International School of Como in Italy at the time of her death.

Italian media reported that the Italo-Swiss national had joined a group of friends to return to Switzerland to see in the New Year when tragedy struck.

Authorities added her to the list of missing people after friends went through images and videos of the party, recognising her among those who had not left the club.

Friends took to TikTok to pay tribute, one reported to have written: ‘All this makes no sense. We were supposed to keep growing together.’

Matteo Prosperi, the mayor of Castel San Pietro, told Swiss publication La Regione: We are close to the family and share their grief.’

Riccardo Minghetti

Described Rome native Riccardo Minghetti, 16, was reported by local media to have gone to Le Constellation with his sister Matilde; their mother owned a house in Crans-Montana.

She was outside the club when the fire broke out, according to Giuseppa Tomao, headmistress of the Stanislao Cannizzaro scientific high school in the Italian capital’s EUR district, which both siblings attended.

His friend, Manfredi Marcucci, whom he had gone to the club with, survived with 40 per cent burns to his body, according to reports.

Matilde suffered minor injuries to her hands as she tried to push through the crowds looking for her brother; his parents Massimo and Carla were then told on Sunday morning that he did not make it out alive.

La Repubblica reported that Riccardo was remembered as having ‘a quick wit’ and a passion for tennis, swimming and skiing.

Ms Tomao, the school principal, added: ‘Riccardo will forever be a part of our school: his smile, his kindness, and his sensitivity will live on in each of our memories.’

Arthur Brodard

Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, was confirmed to be among the dead by his heartbroken mother Laetitia in a video on social media.

Laetitia had last heard from her son as midnight approached, as he sent her a message reading: ‘Happy New Year, mum’. 

She had been among the anxious parents seen in Crans-Montana showing pictures of her son to reporters, holding out hope that he may be found alive.

‘Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise,’ she said, visibly shaken, in the video shared online on Saturday. 

‘We can start our mourning, knowing that he is in peace and in the light.’

Benjamin Johnson

In a final and lasting act of heroism, 18-year-old boxer Benjamin Johnson died trying to save his friend as the fire took hold at Le Constellation.

Benjamin, described by the Swiss Boxing Federation president Amir Orfia as ‘a promising athlete and a radiant personality’, was hailed as a hero for making the ultimate sacrifice as he tried to help those in need.

He added: ‘According to witnesses, he lost his life while rescuing his friend, thus allowing her to survive. This act of ultimate altruism perfectly reflects who he was: someone who always helped others.’

A post by the SBF on social media read: ‘Benjamin left us as a hero, helping his friend. Our thoughts are with his family, relatives and all the victims of this national tragedy’. 

Emanuele Galeppini

Promising golfer Emanuele Galeppini, 17, was confirmed among the dead by the Italian Golf Federation in a post on social media.

The youngster, who lived in Dubai and attended its Swiss International School, was remembered by the professional association as ‘a young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values’.

It added: ‘Emanuele, you will remain in our hearts forever.’

Galeppini, from Genoa, had been ranked 3,408th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the time of his death but had been ranked as high as 2,440th in the past having notched up wins and podiums in junior golfing competitions.

His family had last spoken to him at midnight on New Year’s Day, according to Corriere della Sera – but could not get hold of him again as news of the blaze broke.

Charlotte Niddam

Fifteen-year-old Charlotte Niddam had spent time growing up in Britain, attending the private Immanuel College in Hertfordshire and the Jewish Free School in north-west London.

The teenager held British, Israeli and French citizenship and was identified with the assistance of Israeli emergency services organisation Zaka.

Crans-Montana’s website listed her as a babysitter available for hire at the resort. 

Her family confirmed her death in a social media post on Sunday, writing: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beautiful daughter and sister Charlotte. Details regarding the funeral arrangements will follow shortly.’

The post said Charlotte’s funeral is expected to take place in Paris later this week.

The investigation into the fire is continuing today as bodies are returned home – with families desperate for answers as to exactly how, and why, tragedy was allowed to strike.

The Valais region’s top security official, Stéphane Ganzer, told SRF public radio on Saturday: ‘Such a huge accident with a fire in Switzerland means that something didn’t work – maybe the material, maybe the organization on the spot.’

He added: ‘Something didn’t work and someone made a mistake, I am sure of that.’

Italy, which lost six citizens, is demanding justice. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on social media: ‘In civilized Switzerland, the prison gates will have to open for quite a few people’. 

Jacques Moretti, owner of Le Constellation, told Swiss media he and his wife were fully co-operating with authorities.

He said the bar had been inspected ‘three times in 10 years’. Local laws stipulate annual inspections for buildings open to the public, according to several reports.

Over the weekend, former staff at Le Constellation broke cover to allege that the building’s safety measures had been substandard – claiming fire extinguishers were locked away and an emergency exit was also locked as a matter of routine.

One, named Maxime, told French network BFM: ‘Unlike in other places where I’ve worked, the fire extinguishers were kept in a room that was locked.

‘There was definitely a risk and the safety measures were a bit dicey.’

Another, named Sarah, added: ‘When I stayed in an apartment above the bar, I had to get a key to open the door of the emergency exit to go upstairs … We were ordered not to unlock the emergency exit except to go upstairs to the apartment.’

She added that waitresses were often encouraged to put sparklers in champagne bottles in order to ‘put on a show for customers’. 

On Sunday, residents of Crans-Montana took to the streets for a silent procession in memory of the dead.

Aika Chappaz, one of those who joined the march, said justice must be done for the sake of future generations.

‘It’s crucial that such a tragedy never happens again. And the investigation must be thorough, because it’s so unbelievable,’ she said.