Swiss bar fire: Investigation pressure intensifies after victim identification is complete.
Swiss authorities have announced that they have completed the identification of all 40 victims who died in the horrific New Year's Eve fire at the Crans-Montana resort. Amidst the national grief, pressure for accountability from the bar's managers is mounting.
More than half of the victims were teenagers.
On the morning of January 5th (local time), an atmosphere of grief still hung over the resort town of Crans-Montana in the Valais canton, southwestern Switzerland. The fire at the "Le Constellation" bar in the early hours of New Year's Day is considered one of the worst disasters in the country's modern history.
According to the latest announcement from the Valais cantonal police, all 40 victims' bodies have been identified. The statistics are shocking, as 26 of the 40 victims were teenagers. The youngest victims were only 14 years old, including a French citizen and a Swiss citizen.
The list of fatalities reflects the international nature of the resort: 21 Swiss citizens, 7 French, and 6 Italians. The remaining victims came from Belgium, Portugal, Romania, Türkiye, and other countries with multiple nationalities. Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, mother of Arthur Brodard – a 16-year-old Swiss victim – shared on her personal page: "Now we can begin to mourn our son, knowing that he has found peace."
In addition to the fatalities, the fire injured more than 100 others, many with severe burns. The Swiss government said 35 patients had been transferred to specialist clinics in Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy for intensive treatment.
The causes of the disaster and the wave of outrage.
According to preliminary investigations by prosecutors, the fire most likely originated from the use of "candle-shaped flares" in an enclosed space. These sparks ignited the basement ceiling of the bar and spread rapidly and uncontrollably.
The Swiss daily newspaper Blick, in its January 5th issue, posed the question on its front page: "Why are the bar operators still free?", accompanied by images of people and media gathered around bouquets of flowers in remembrance of the scene of the fire.
Currently, the two bar operators are under criminal investigation on serious charges including negligent manslaughter, negligent injury, and negligent arson. However, police say they have not yet arrested the suspects, as they assess that there is no risk of them fleeing.
The decision has met with strong reactions from the public and international officials. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini criticized the security measures, emphasizing: "In a civilized country like Switzerland, the prison doors need to be open for some people." He questioned the escape system and safety inspections at the bar.
Commitment to delivering justice
Following this immense loss, Swiss President Guy Parmelin has declared January 9th a National Day of Mourning. Church bells across the country will ring simultaneously, and a minute of silence will be observed in memory of the victims.
Meanwhile, Jacques Moretti, one of the two bar operators, asserted in local media that the establishment had been inspected three times in the past 10 years and complied with all regulations. However, authorities in the Valais canton are scrutinizing the annual inspection records and standards regarding soundproofing materials in the basement, as well as regulations on the use of fireworks.
Pope Leo XIV also sent a message of deep condolences to the families of the victims, expressing sympathy and prayers for those who are suffering.
In Crans-Montana, hundreds of residents held a silent procession to commemorate the deceased. Aika Chappaz, a local resident who participated in the ceremony, shared: "It's important that a tragedy like this never happens again. The investigation must be thorough, because this is beyond imagination."
