Local authorities revealed on Tuesday that safety inspections had not been conducted for several years at the bar where a tragic fire erupted during a New Year’s celebration, resulting in 40 fatalities and over 100 injuries. Investigators suspect that decorative candles on champagne bottles caused the fire at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana when they accidentally ignited the ceiling. Officials are investigating whether the ceiling’s soundproofing material met safety standards and if the use of candles in the bar was permitted.
Swiss authorities have initiated a criminal inquiry into the bar’s managers for potential charges of involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and fire negligence. The Valais region’s chief prosecutor confirmed the suspicions. It was revealed that safety inspections were the municipality’s responsibility, with the head of Crans-Montana’s municipal government, Nicolas Féraud, acknowledging inspections up to 2019 but noting a lack of checks between 2020 and 2025 following the fire.
Féraud expressed regret over the oversight and stated that judicial authorities would determine the impact of the absent inspections on the tragic incident. An external expert had assessed the bar’s compliance with anti-noise regulations in September last year, affirming its adherence without further comments. The severity of burns made victim identification challenging, requiring families to provide DNA samples to aid in the process.
Reports from previous inspections indicated a maximum capacity of 100 individuals on each floor of the bar, but the exact number present during the fire remains unknown. Officials completed the identification of all 40 deceased victims and the 116 injured individuals. The mayor emphasized that the absence of safety inspections for an extended period was unexplained and pointed to the ongoing investigations into the negligence of the bar owners.
