A New Year’s Eve celebration turned tragic in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, where a bar fire killed at least 40 people and left dozens of partygoers fighting for their lives in hospitals across Europe.
Investigators say the blaze may have been triggered by sparkler candles used inside the crowded bar.
Authorities report that the fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar, spreading rapidly among young revellers. The official death toll stands at 40, while 119 people have been injured, many critically.
Mathias Reynard, chief of the Valais area, told a news conference: “Many of those injured are still fighting for their lives today.” Around 50 victims have been, or will be, transferred to burn units in hospitals across Europe, including France and Germany.
Identifying the victims
Police have identified 113 injured individuals so far. The victims include 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French, 11 Italian, and smaller numbers from Serbia, Bosnia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, and Luxembourg, according to police chief Frederic Gisler.
Officials warned that it could take several days to fully identify all victims due to the severity of the burns. Investigators are handling the process with extreme care given the scale of the tragedy.
Likely cause of the fire
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire likely began when sparkler candles, carried too close to the ceiling, ignited flammable materials. Local prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said: “Everything suggests that the fire started from the burning candles or ‘Bengal lights’ that had been attached to champagne bottles. From there, a rapid, very rapid and widespread conflagration ensued.”
Investigators are also examining whether the ceiling’s insulation foam contributed to the fire’s rapid spread. Further inquiries will determine if any criminal negligence occurred.
Survivor accounts
Axel, a patron in the basement where the fire began, described a harrowing escape: “I don’t know how I miraculously made it out. We couldn’t see anything; I was half choking. I turned over a table and hid behind it, then used a window to escape.” He noted that a single exit door was too narrow for the panicked crowd.
