Local authorities revealed that fire safety inspections had not taken place for several years at the bar where a tragic fire occurred during a New Year’s party, resulting in 40 fatalities and over 100 injuries. Investigators believe that the fire, ignited by festive candles on champagne bottles, was caused when the candles came into close contact with the ceiling. Authorities are examining if the ceiling’s soundproofing material met regulations and if the use of candles was permitted in the bar.
Swiss officials have launched a criminal inquiry into the bar managers, who are suspected of involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and causing a fire unintentionally. Regional authorities stated that safety inspections were the municipality’s responsibility. The head of the municipal government of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Féraud, disclosed that inspections of the bar had been conducted until 2019, but subsequent checks had not been carried out between 2020 and 2025.
Féraud expressed regret over the lapse in inspections and noted that judicial authorities would need to determine any impact on the chain of events leading to the fire. An external expert had assessed the bar’s compliance with anti-noise regulations in September the previous year. The severity of burns from the fire made identifying some victims challenging, necessitating DNA samples from families. Investigators have identified all 40 deceased individuals and the 116 injured parties.
Reports from previous inspections indicated a maximum capacity of 100 individuals on each floor of the bar, but the exact number present during the fire remains uncertain and may never be ascertained.