The lower house of the Swiss parliament on Monday approved a one-time compensation of 50,000 Swiss francs (55,506 euros) for survivors and families of survivors of a New Year’s fire in a bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort. In case of misfortune 41 people died and 115 others were injured, informs TASR according to a Reuters report.
The aim is to provide quick financial support to victims of the fire and was approved by the upper house of parliament last week. The compensation concerns every family whose member lost their life and all those hospitalized. Most of the victims were teenagers and many were from abroad.
The Swiss prosecutor’s office announced on Monday that they are also investigating five current and former local officials as part of the investigation. The mayor of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Féraud, is among them. All five are charged with negligent homicide, negligent assault and negligent arson.
The same allegations are made also to the operators of the Le Constellation bar, the married couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, as well as against the head of the office responsible for fire safety and his predecessor, who ended his position in 2024. According to prosecutors, the fire was caused by flammable soundproofing foam when revelers in the bar raised champagne bottles with fireworks attached too close to the bar’s ceiling.
