Most recent victim was 18 years old
An 18-year-old Swiss man died this Sunday from his injuries, bringing the death toll in the New Year’s Eve fire to 41, local judicial authorities announced.
“An 18-year-old Swiss citizen died in a Zurich hospital on January 31,” said the Valais cantonal prosecutor in a statement to AFP, exactly one month after the tragedy.
The number of deaths in the fire at the ‘Le Constellation’ bar is now 41, added the prosecutor’s office, to which 116 were injured.
Dozens of injured people, many of them in serious condition, remained hospitalized this week in Switzerland, as well as in France, Germany, Italy and Belgium.
Among the 41 dead, aged between 14 and 39, were 23 Swiss citizens and 18 foreigners, including a Portuguese woman.
The fire at the Constellation bar, which mainly affected teenagers and young adults, was caused, according to the investigation, by sparks from fountain candles that ignited the sound insulation foam on the ceiling of the establishment’s basement.
The investigation seeks to determine the exact circumstances of the fire, whether the owners complied with safety standards and the various responsibilities involved.
The French couple who own the bar are being investigated for “negligent homicide, negligent injury to physical integrity and arson”.
The criminal investigation has also targeted two Crans-Montana municipality security employees since Wednesday.
The municipality admitted that it had not carried out safety and fire inspections at the establishment since 2019, despite them being mandatory annually.
This weekend, the upscale Alpine resort hosted the final ski World Cup race before the Winter Olympics.
At the competition venue, the usual festive atmosphere gave way to sadness and tributes a month after the fire at the Constellation bar.
At the finish area, the traditional advertising banners were replaced by a black and white message: “Our thoughts are with you”, in four languages (Italian, French, German and English), described the agency France Presse, also reporting several tributes from the participating athletes.
