Swiss officials have initiated a criminal probe targeting the French operators of a ski resort bar, following a tragic blaze that claimed the lives of at least 40 individuals during New Year’s Eve festivities.

Authorities suspect the two managers of negligent homicide, negligent injury, and causing a fire through negligence, according to a police statement. The investigation commenced on Friday night, but additional specifics have not been disclosed.

The catastrophic fire erupted at the Le Constellation bar situated in the Alpine locale of Crans-Montana around 1:30 am local time (12:30 am GMT) on Thursday. Along with the fatalities, 119 people sustained injuries in the incident.

Today, police identified four of the deceased as two young Swiss women, aged 16 and 21, alongside two Swiss men, aged 16 and 18.

While their names remain undisclosed, the Valais canton police have confirmed that their remains have been returned to their families. The process of identifying the remaining victims is ongoing.

Emmanuele Galeppini, aged 17, was the first victim publicly identified, with confirmation of his passing announced by the Italian Golf Federation via an Instagram post on Friday.

Swiss officials described the blaze as a likely flashover, meaning that it triggered the release of combustible gases that can ignite violently.

Much suspicion has already focussed on the dimpled foam acoustic insulation which covered the ceiling of the basement bar and appeared to ignite from a sparkler held aloft on a Champagne bottle, then spread with terrifying ferocity. 

Witnesses described the ensuing panic as revellerts tried to escape from the nightclub area in the basement, up a flight of stairs and through a narrow door, causing a crowd surge. 

A skier passes candles near the sealed off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, where at least 40 people were killed in a devastating fire during New Year’s Eve celebrations

Emmanuele Galeppini, 17, was the first victim to be identified after his death was confirmed in an Instagram post by the Italian Golf Federation on Friday 

A photo appears to show the moment champagne sparklers set fire to material on the ceiling of the Swiss nightclub

Parents of missing youths have issued desperate pleas for news of ​their children, as foreign embassies scramble to work out if their nationals were among ​those caught up in one of the worst tragedies to befall modern Switzerland.

Police commander Frédéric Gisler said all bar six of the 119 injured have been formally identified, but Swiss officials are yet to share the names of any victims or injured. 

The injured included 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland, according to Frédéric Gisler, police commander of the Valais region. 

The nationalities of 14 people were still unclear.

Six Italians are still missing and 13 hospitalised, while eight French people are missing and another nine are among the injured.

Emmanuele is the only victim to have been named following the deadly fire, with the Italian Golf Federation paying tribute to the teen as a ‘young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values’.

The Italian teenager, who was based in Dubai, was a member of the Italian national team and his best rank was 2440th, and was well known in the UAE junior and amateur golfing scene, according to GolfDigestme.com.

He was pictured with golfing legend Rory McIlroy last year and was widely regarded as a promising young talent, competing regularly across the Middle East and Europe. 

British-educated teenager Charlotte Neddam, who previously attended Immanuel College – a private Jewish school in Hertfordshire – is also among those missing.