Authorities in Crans-Montana have revealed that the bar that caught fire on New Years Eve, killing 40 people and injuring more than 100, had not undergone safety inspections for the past five years. Periodic inspections were not conducted between 2020 and 2025. We bitterly regret this, said Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Fraud at a press conference on Tuesday, five days after the disaster at Le Constellation bar. Fraud emphasized that the municipality is not responsible for determining who caused the blaze, which authorities believe started in the bars basement party room when sparklers attached to champagne bottles were held too close to the ceiling, reportedly covered in soundproofing foam. That will be the job of the investigators, he said. But we want to show full transparency. We owe it to the victims and their families.
The bar had last been renovated in 2015. Fraud said he had no answer as to why annual inspections, required by town bylaws, had not been carried out, noting that a team of five safety officers is responsible for checking over 10,000 buildings. Were profoundly sorry, and I know how hard that will be for the families, Fraud added. He also stated that he and his fellow councillors would not resign, saying they were elected by the people of Crans-Montana and would not jump ship now. The 40 victims included 21 Swiss nationals, nine French citizens (two with dual nationality), six Italians, and one person each from Belgium, Portugal, Romania, and Turkey. The youngest were 14 and the oldest 39, with an average age of 19; 20 victims were minors. Police have confirmed that all 116 injured individuals have been identified, including 68 Swiss citizens, 21 French, 10 Italians, four Serbs, and four dual nationals. Eighty-three people remain hospitalized with severe burns. Fraud noted that the soundproof foam used in the bar had been considered acceptable at the time of the last inspection. Following the tragedy, sparklers, known as Bengal fountains, are now banned in all resort venues. Investigations are ongoing into the bars owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, on suspicion of crimes including homicide by negligence. The couple has not been arrested, though a second establishment they own has been closed. The municipality has provided all relevant documents to investigators and joined the criminal proceedings as a civil party.The first foreign victims, five Italians, were repatriated on Monday. A memorial ceremony will be held in Crans-Montana on Friday, with French President Emmanuel Macron set to attend. .
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