The fire at the bar “Le Constellation” injured 116 people, of whom 83 are still being treated in hospitals. Half of the dead were under the age of 18.
Prosecutors have concluded that the fire likely started when people celebrating the New Year raised champagne bottles with magic candles in the air, igniting the soundproof foam on the ceiling of the basement bar.
While inspections, including fire inspections, were carried out in 2016, 2018 and 2019, periodic inspections were not carried out between 2020 and 2025, Cranmont Mayor Nicolas Ferro said at a press conference five days after the disaster.
The law requires the municipal fire department to conduct annual inspections of facilities accessible to the public, Fero said, admitting that he did not know why the inspections were not conducted.
In a statement from the municipality, it is stated that it discovered this negligence by checking the documents sent to the Valais cantonal prosecutor’s office.
“The court will determine what effect such failure had in the chain of events that led to the tragedy. The municipality will take full responsibility as determined by the court,” the statement said.
The municipality announced that it will commission independent experts to inspect all public institutions and will ban the use of pyrotechnic devices indoors.
Le Constellation is owned by French nationals Jacques and Jessica Moretti. They also manage the bar.
A criminal investigation has been launched against the couple. They are charged with negligent manslaughter, negligent wounding and negligent arson.
Le Constellation was founded in 1967. The municipal documents indicate that the capacity of the first floor of the bar is 100 people and the basement – also 100 people.
According to photos taken by the owners, in 2015, during renovations, which the municipality said did not have the necessary permits, the ceiling of the bar was covered with soundproofing foam.
A video taken by a bar-goer and shown on Monday by the Swiss broadcaster RTS shows that the danger of the fire was known several years ago. Already in 2019, during the New Year’s celebrations, the bar employee warned to be careful of foam when lifting champagne bottles with magic candles.
The average age of those who died in the fire is 19 years. Eight of the dead were under the age of 16.
Although most of those killed were Swiss nationals, nine French and six Italian nationals were also among the dead.
“This tragedy could have been avoided” and “should have been avoided using prevention and common sense,” the Italian ambassador to Switzerland stressed on Monday.
Switzerland declared a day of mourning on Friday.
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