CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — A devastating fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana on New Year’s Day has claimed 40 lives and left 119 others injured, authorities confirmed, as investigations point to sparklers placed on champagne bottles as the likely cause.
Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said Friday that preliminary findings indicate the sparklers were moved too close to the ceiling, sparking a blaze that quickly engulfed the establishment. “Everything leads us to think that the fire started from sparkling candles—or sparklers—which were put on bottles of champagne [that were] moved too close to the ceiling. From that, a blaze began very quickly,” Pilloud said.
Officials are examining multiple factors, including the materials used inside the bar, its fire safety measures, capacity limits, and the number of patrons present at the time of the fire. Pilloud also noted that prosecutions may follow if negligence is determined. “If that is the case, and if those people are still alive, there will be a case opened against them,” she said.
One of the bar’s owners told local media that the venue had undergone three inspections over the past decade and complied with all regulations.
Authorities are still working on the formal identification of the 40 victims, with police commander Frédéric Gisler emphasizing that “that is our priority.” Many of the injured remain in critical condition, and Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais region, said they “are still fighting to live.”
Of those injured, 113 have been formally identified, including 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French, 11 Italians, and four Serbs, among others. Identification of six additional victims is ongoing, with officials warning that numbers may still change.
Approximately 50 of the injured are being transferred or will soon be moved to specialized burn treatment centers across Europe, Reynard said. Among them is 19-year-old French footballer Tahirys Dos Santos, who sustained severe burns and has been airlifted to Germany for treatment, according to his club FC Mertz.
Relatives of those missing remain anxious for updates. Among them is 16-year-old Italian national Achille Barosi, who entered the bar shortly after 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day to retrieve his jacket and phone and has not been heard from since. His aunt, Francesca, told BBC World Service that “we don’t know if he’s still alive,” adding that her nephew was an accomplished painter enrolled in an art school in Milan.
Authorities are using Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) procedures to confirm the identities of those killed. A specialized team of forensic experts, doctors, dentists, and investigators is collecting data to ensure accurate identification.
The tragedy has shaken the international community and cast renewed attention on fire safety practices in entertainment venues, with local authorities pledging a thorough investigation to prevent similar disasters in the future.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
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