The Le Constellation bar, nestled in the renowned Crans-Montana resort, transformed overnight from a lively holiday celebration into the somber backdrop of one of Switzerland’s most devastating tragedies. Known internationally for its skiing and golf, the resort became the focus of attention for far more tragic reasons.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, which erupted around 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. It is believed that sparklers, used during the festivities, shot upwards and ignited the blaze when they came dangerously close to the bar’s ceiling.
As part of the ongoing investigation, officials are scrutinizing the soundproofing material on the ceiling to determine whether it met regulatory standards. This examination will be crucial in understanding how the fire spread and whether compliance issues contributed to the tragedy.
While the resort is typically associated with leisure and international acclaim, it now faces the grim reality of a community grappling with loss and searching for answers. As the investigation continues, the resort and its visitors are left to ponder how a night of celebration could turn so quickly into a night of disaster.
Hereâs what we know:
The fire broke out about 1:30am local time on Thursday during a holiday celebration inside the Le Constellation bar.
Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they were inside when they saw a male bartender lifting a female colleague on his shoulders as she held a lit sparkler on a bottle.
The flames spread, collapsing the wooden ceiling, they told the broadcaster.
People tried to escape from a nightclub area in the basement, up a flight of stairs and through a narrow door, causing a crowd surge, one of the women said.
A young man at the scene said people smashed windows to escape, BFMTV reported.
Gianni Campolo, a Swiss 19-year-old on vacation, rushed to help first responders. He described a scene of people trapped on the ground, severely injured and burned.
âI have seen horror and I donât know what else would be worse than this,â Campolo told French broadcaster TF1.
Marc-Antoine Chavanon, 14, also hurried to join the rescue effort.
âPeople were collapsing. We were doing everything we could to save them,â he told The Associated Press.
âThere was one of our friends: She was struggling to get out. She was all burnt. You canât imagine the pain I saw.â
Blaze triggered flashover
Investigators will examine whether sparklers were permitted for use in the bar.
They will also look at the safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers, escape routes, and compliance with regulations, Valais canton Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said Friday.
She also warned of possible prosecutions if there was any criminal liability involving individuals.
Swiss officials described the blaze as a likely flashover, meaning it triggered the release of combustible gases that can ignite violently.
The injured suffered from serious burns and smoke inhalation.
Some were flown to specialist hospitals across the country and elsewhere in Europe.
Managers under investigation
The region’s chief prosecutor said that a criminal investigation has been opened into the bar’s two managers.
They are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing fire.
Pilloud said the investigation would help âexplore all the leadsâ
Authorities didn’t name the managers in their announcement.
A Swiss business register lists a French couple, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, as the owners of the Constellation.
Switzerlandâs Tribune de Genève newspaper reported that Jacques Moretti told it the bar had been checked âthree times in 10 yearsâ and that âeverything was done within the standardsâ.
They have two other establishments, one in Crans-Montana and another in nearby Lens.
Investigators say they have been questioned, as have many others involved in the tragedy, as they gather information on what happened at the New Yearâs event and what work was carried out on the bar in the past.
Identifying the dead and missing
Swiss officials said Friday that 119 people were injured and 113 had been identified.
The injured included more than 70 Swiss nationals and more than 10 each from France and Italy, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland.
Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland said he had been briefed by local authorities that the total number of injured stood at 121, five of whom hadnât yet been identified.
Swiss police said that the identification of the dead and injured was still underway.
They said they had identified four of the deceased â all of them Swiss citizens aged 16 to 21 â and handed their bodies over to their families. They didn’t give further details.
The severity of the burns has made it very difficult to identify bodies, bringing more agony for families who now must hand over DNA samples to authorities.
