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Crans-Montana Tragedy: Uninspected Bar at Center of Deadly New Year’s Fire
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland – A devastating New Year’s Day fire at the “Le Constellation” bar, which claimed the lives of 40 people and injured over 100, has brought to light a critical lapse in safety protocols: the establishment had not undergone fire safety inspections for several years.
Local authorities confirmed Tuesday that regular safety checks at the popular Crans-Montana resort spot ceased after 2019. Investigators suspect that celebratory sparkling candles, used atop Champagne bottles, ignited the blaze by coming into contact with the ceiling. A key focus of the ongoing investigation is whether the ceiling’s soundproofing material met regulatory standards and if the use of such candles was permitted within the bar.
Swiss authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the bar’s managers, who face charges of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm, and involuntarily causing a fire, according to the Valais region’s chief prosecutor.
Nicolas Féraud, head of Crans-Montana’s municipal government, stated that while inspections of Le Constellation were conducted up to 2019, a post-fire review of documents revealed that “periodic checks were not carried out between 2020 and 2025.” Féraud expressed deep regret over this oversight, adding that judicial authorities would determine its impact on the tragic sequence of events. He could not immediately explain the prolonged absence of safety inspections.
Féraud did note that an external expert conducted a soundproofing analysis in September of last year, concluding that the bar complied with anti-noise regulations, without offering further remarks on other safety aspects.
The intensity of the fire made victim identification challenging, necessitating DNA samples from families. Authorities announced on Sunday that all 40 fatalities had been identified, and by Monday, all 116 injured individuals were also accounted for.