Swiss authorities have identified 24 of the 40 victims killed in a New Year’s Eve fire at a bar in the resort town of Crans-Montana, including 11 minors and six foreign nationals, police said Sunday.
The blaze, which also injured 119 people, has prompted a criminal investigation into the bar’s owners for negligent manslaughter.
A somber mood engulfed the town as hundreds of residents attended a memorial service near the scene, walking in silence to a nearby chapel of rest. Bishop Jean-Marie Lovey of Sion urged the media to focus on compassion for the grieving families.
Switzerland has declared January 9 a national day of mourning, with church bells across the country set to ring at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT), accompanied by a nationwide moment of silence.
“Many of the victims were apprentices, high school students, and university students,” said Pastor Gilles Cavin of the Reformed Church of Switzerland during the memorial mass.
Local police confirmed that among the identified victims are 18 Swiss nationals — eight previously confirmed and 10 more recently — as well as minors and foreign nationals from Italy, France, Romania, Turkey, Luxembourg, and the United Arab Emirates.
Crans-Montana, a popular tourist destination, saw many international visitors among the injured, including 14 French, 11 Italians, four Serbs, a Belgian, a Bosnian, a Pole, and a Portuguese national.
Authorities believe the fire was triggered when lit sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited foam on the bar’s ceiling. The blaze erupted in the packed basement of Le Constellation bar around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) on Thursday.
Video footage from the incident shows partygoers attempting to escape, some breaking windows as flames spread rapidly across the wooden ceiling covered in soundproofing foam. Experts suggest the flammable foam may have caused a “flashover,” igniting the space almost simultaneously.
The bar’s French owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, face charges of negligent manslaughter, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. Investigators are examining whether safety standards were properly followed, though Jacques Moretti has insisted that all safety norms had been observed.
The mayor of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Feraud, assured the public that the municipality bore no responsibility for the tragedy.
For many witnesses and holidaymakers, the fire remains shocking and incomprehensible. Patricia Mazzoni, a Swiss tourist, described the event as “unimaginable” and said she was filled with “cold anger” over the disaster.
