Overview
- Authorities say the inquiry is an accident investigation with no arrests, while identification of victims remains a top priority and may take days.
- Police and prosecutors are evaluating social-media footage that appears to show sparklers on champagne bottles near a paneled ceiling, though the material is unverified.
- Officials’ leading hypothesis is a flashover, a sudden room-wide ignition that can occur when hot gases ignite, which experts warn is rarely survivable without protective gear.
- Hospitals report many critically injured young patients, including severe burns over more than 60% of body surface in some cases, with transfers to specialized clinics in France, Germany and Italy.
- Questions about venue safety and ceiling insulation have surfaced during the probe, as investigators assess compliance with building and fire-safety rules.