Here’s a summary of the key data from the provided text about the New Year’s bar fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland:
The Tragedy:
* A fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana on New Year’s Day killed 40 people and injured 116.
* The average age of those killed was 19. Half of those killed were under 18, some as young as 14.
* Victims came from 19 nationalities, with the majority being Swiss, followed by French (9) and Italian (6) nationals.
Remembrance & Response:
* A national moment of silence was held, with church bells ringing for five minutes.
* A memorial ceremony was held in Martigny and livestreamed to screens in Crans-Montana,including the center where families sought information about loved ones.
* Swiss President Guy Parmelin was joined by the Presidents of France and Italy, as well as officials from other countries.
Cause & Investigation:
* The fire is believed to have started when champagne bottles with sparklers were raised to close to flammable sound insulation foam in the bar’s basement.
* Experts suggest a “flashover” – rapid ignition of everything in the space – likely occurred.
* no fire safety inspections had been conducted at the bar as 2019.
* The bar owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are facing charges of manslaughter, bodily harm, and arson by negligence.
* A 2019 video surfaced showing a bar employee warning about the danger of the foam when sparklers were used, indicating prior awareness of the risk.
Current Status:
* 83 people remain hospitalized with injuries, some airlifted to specialized centers.
* An investigation is underway to determine responsibilities of authorities and the bar owners.