Swiss authorities continue to investigate the catastrophic New Year’s Eve blaze at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana that claimed 40 lives and injured 116 people. As of Monday, 83 victims remain hospitalized with severe injuries, while the process of identifying all casualties has been completed.
The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of Thursday when celebratory sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited sound insulation foam in the basement ceiling of the popular Alpine establishment. The incident has exposed significant safety violations, including the presence of 26 teenagers among the deceased—eight of whom were under 16, directly contravening local laws prohibiting minors from alcohol-serving venues after 10:00 pm without guardian supervision.
International repercussions continue as five Italian teenagers, including three 16-year-old boys and two girls aged 15 and 16, were repatriated via military aircraft from Sion Airport. Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, present during the solemn ceremony, stated unequivocally that ‘this tragedy could have been avoided through prevention and common sense,’ citing ‘numerous shortcomings in safety and prevention’ at the venue.
The victims represented 19 nationalities, with Swiss nationals comprising the majority of those killed and injured. The deceased included 19 foreign passport holders: nine French and six Italian citizens among them. Those injured encompassed 23 French, 11 Italian, four Serbian, and two Polish nationals, with additional casualties from Australia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Congo-Brazzaville, Czech Republic, Finland, Luxembourg, Philippines, and Portugal.
The most critically injured have been transferred to specialized burn centers across Switzerland and internationally. Meanwhile, emotional tributes continue to grow outside the destroyed establishment, where flowers, candles, and messages of sympathy create a makeshift memorial.
Switzerland has declared Friday a national day of mourning, with church bells scheduled to toll across the country at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) followed by a moment of silence. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to attend commemorative ceremonies honoring the victims.