In Thursday’s tragic fire in a bar in the Swiss mountain resort of Crans-Montana, overall injured 119 people, 113 of whom have already been identified by the authorities. Among them are 71 Swiss, 14 French, 11 Italian, four Serbs and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal. According to the general prosecutor of the canton of Valais, Beatrice Pilloud the fire was most likely caused by sparks in champagne bottles that ignited the ceiling. TASR informs about it according to the Guardian newspaper.
- A fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana injured 119 people.
- The incident was probably caused by the use of flares in champagne bottles.
- 40 people died in the tragedy, the process of identifying the victims is still ongoing.
- Authorities are investigating and considering criminal charges for negligence.
- More than 50 injured were transferred to hospitals in neighboring countries.
Pilloud explained that after the ceiling ignited, the fire spread very quickly. The law enforcement authorities have already interviewed the survivors and the two French operators of the company. According to her, they will consider criminal prosecution for causing a fire by negligence and manslaughter by negligence.
The chairman of the government council in the canton of Valais, Mathias Reynard, confirmed that more than 50 injured have been or will be transferred to hospitals in neighboring countries. According to him, there are still 40 dead and their identification continues.
The head of the criminal police in Valais, Pierre Antoine Lengen, said that policemen are examining the bodies of the victims for their identification. They take various samples, including DNA and clothing of the deceased, and secure dental records. “It’s complicated and we have to do it very carefully. We can’t make a mistake in this area, even if the wait is very difficult.” he admitted.
The fire in the Le Constellation bar happened on Thursday around 1:30 a.m. during the New Year celebrations. Swiss President Guy Parmelin called it one of the worst tragedies in the country’s history.
