CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — A devastating New Year’s Eve fire at the Le Constellation bar in this Alpine ski resort has resulted in one of Switzerland’s worst modern tragedies, with authorities confirming 40 fatalities and 119 injured. The catastrophic blaze has left families in agonizing uncertainty as forensic teams struggle to identify victims due to severe burns and the complete destruction of personal identification documents.
The Valais regional government acknowledged the profound grief affecting countless families. Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud emphasized that identification remains the absolute priority to allow mourning processes to begin. Regional government head Mathias Reynard described the situation as ‘particularly difficult hours’ filled with ‘unbearable minutes without answers.’
Investigators have determined the fire originated from sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles that ignited ceiling materials approximately two hours after midnight. The bar was crowded with revelers, many aged from their teens to mid-20s, celebrating the New Year.
Eyewitness Marc-Antoine Chavanon, 14, recounted the horror to The Associated Press: ‘We were bringing people out, people were collapsing. We helped as many as we could. We saw people screaming, running. There was one of our friends: She was struggling to get out, she was all burned. You can’t imagine the pain I saw.’
The international scope of the tragedy has emerged, with victims including 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French, 11 Italians, and citizens from across Europe including Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland. Among the missing is Emanuele Galeppini, a promising Italian teenage golfer who competed internationally, though the Italian Golf Federation has already announced his death.
Authorities are conducting multiple investigations into safety measures, including whether sound-dampening ceiling materials met regulations, if the candles were permitted for indoor use, and the adequacy of fire extinguishers and escape routes. The regional prosecutor warned of potential criminal prosecutions if negligence is established.