The Swiss municipality of Crans-Montana has closed a five-star hotel due to deficiencies in fire regulations. It comes just weeks after a bar in the Alpine ski resort caught fire during New Year’s celebrations, killing 41 people, mostly young people. TASR informs about it according to the report of the DPA agency.
- The municipality of Crans-Montana has closed a five-star hotel due to deficiencies in fire regulations.
- The order came shortly after a fire at a local bar killed 41 people.
- The Grand Hôtel du Golf et Palace has not removed the identified risks since August 2023.
- The tourist office provides alternative accommodation for guests of a closed hotel.
- The cause of the fire at the Le Constellation bar is still under investigation by authorities.
In a statement released on Thursday, the municipality said that fire safety problems at the Grand Hôtel du Golf et Palace were identified as early as last August. However, the repairs were not made until January 15, which led to the immediate closure of the hotel. The tourist office will help find alternative accommodation for affected guests. According to information on the website, the hotel has 85 rooms.
A fire broke out at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana during New Year’s celebrations, killing 41 people. Another 116 people were injured, of which 80 had serious burns and some required several months to several years of treatment. Swiss authorities are investigating the owners – Jacques and Jessica Moretti – for manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and arson due to negligence.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The tragedy was apparently caused by sparklers or other fireworks that were attached to champagne bottles by bar visitors celebrating the arrival of the new year. It is believed that they were held too close to the foam insulation of the ceiling, which caught fire. The interior was completely engulfed in flames in a very short time. The municipality later said fire safety inspections – mandatory every year – had not been carried out at the bar since 2019.
