Crans‑Montana Bar Fire: 24 Victims Identified as Prosecutors Accuse Two Managers

Overview

• Authorities say the New Year’s night blaze at Le Constellation killed at least 40 people and injured about 119, making it one of Switzerland’s worst recent mass‑casualty events.
• Police report 24 of the dead have been identified so far, including ten minors and six foreign nationals, with victims ranging from 14 to 39 years old.
• Investigators are examining pyrotechnic candles placed on champagne bottles as the likely ignition source and assessing whether acoustic‑foam materials and access routes met safety norms.
• Two French managers have been accused of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson, while the bar’s owners were questioned and the municipality plans to join the case as a civil party.
• Italy says it has completed identification of six Italian victims and is assisting families and medical transfers, as dozens of severely burned survivors receive specialized care in hospitals across Europe.