Overview
- Authorities report at least 40 dead and 119 injured after the New Year’s blaze at a crowded bar in Crans-Montana.
- Prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud says the leading hypothesis is decorative sparklers on champagne bottles ignited the ceiling, causing rapid spread.
- Most patients suffered severe burns of up to 60% of the body, with the most critical treated in Lausanne.
- Officials said some critically injured will be moved to specialized hospitals in Germany, France and Italy following offers of support.
- Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani visited the site, criticized indoor pyrotechnics and urged a thorough investigation as families seek missing relatives.