Overview
- Authorities say 40 people were killed and 116 injured, with investigators focusing on sparkler-style candles that ignited ceiling foam and caused a rapid blaze.
- Crans-Montana’s mayor acknowledged that required safety checks were not conducted at Le Constellation from 2020 to 2025 and said the commune will accept any responsibility determined by the courts.
- Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the owners for negligent homicide and related offenses, and the couple stated they will cooperate and will not evade the inquiry.
- A lawyer for several families criticized the lack of pretrial detention and cited the removal of the bar’s social media content on January 1 as a potential risk to preserving evidence, with intent unproven at this stage.
- Local officials ordered the owners’ other restaurant closed, banned indoor pyrotechnics, and pledged external audits of public venues, noting the bar had no fire alarm and reportedly only one extinguisher under rules tied to venue size.