Particle.news
Download on the App Store

24 Victims Identified in Crans-Montana Bar Fire as Probe Targets French Managers

European burn centers have taken 35 patients transferred from Switzerland, with 17 treated in France.

Overview

  • Valais police said 24 of the 40 deceased are now formally identified, including 11 minors and the first foreign nationals: a 39-year-old Frenchman, two Italians, an ItaloEmirati dual national, a Romanian and a Turkish citizen.
  • Authorities report 113 of 119 injured have been identified; France now counts 23 nationals injured and says eight French citizens remain unaccounted for.
  • Prosecutors opened a criminal instruction against bar managers Jacques and Jessica Moretti on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily injury and negligent arson, and no pretrial detention has been ordered.
  • Investigators are assessing accounts that bottle-mounted candles ignited ceiling acoustic foam and are reviewing building works, materials, permits and the practicability of evacuation routes seen congested on videos.
  • Crans-Montana held a memorial mass followed by a silent march, and Switzerland set January 9 as a national day of mourning with church bells to ring at 14:00 for a ceremony in the resort.