Fire may have been caused by decorative sparklers placed too close to the ceiling
Authorities confirmed that the Le Constellation bar had not been subject to any safety inspection, audit or investigation for five years. In a press conference, the mayor of the city of Crans-Montana acknowledged that he did not have, for now, an explanation for this failure, expressed regret for what had happened and admitted that the council will have to take responsibility, stressing that the situation has already been communicated to the Government.
However, he assured that he will not resign from his position.
“I’m not going to resign, no, and I don’t want to,” said Nicolas Feraud, adding that his team was elected by the people of Crans-Montana and “we’re not abandoning the ship at this point” as they have to be there to help the residents.
The fire was probably caused by decorative sparklers placed too close to the ceiling. In light of this conclusion, local authorities announced an immediate ban on all types of sparklers in nightlife venues in the region.
At the press conference it was also revealed that there were two exits in the bar that caught fire and that for the size of the bar, a fire alarm was not necessary.
The building, built in 1977, was expanded in 2015 to include a covered outdoor terrace. The inspections carried out at the time focused only on this exterior area, and did not assess the changes to the interior.
According to the president of the chamber, annual reviews usually assess fire risks in areas such as kitchens and check safety equipment, but current legislation does not provide for the analysis of soundproofing materials in ceilings.
The municipality is collaborating with the bar’s management to investigate what happened, ensuring transparency, while determining responsibilities will be up to the competent authorities. An audit of all establishments in the area and the reinforcement of safety inspections were also ordered.
The fire killed 40 people and injured more than a hundred.
