by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
VOLENDAM/CRANS-MONTANA (Worthy News) – As Switzerland was plunged into mourning, Swiss prosecutors said Saturday they have placed under criminal investigation the two managers of a bar where a blaze on New Year’s Day killed at least 40 people.
The offences they are suspected of having committed are “homicide by negligence,” as well as “causing bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence.” the prosecutors’ office in the canton of Valais said in published remarks.
The statement came as dozens of young partygoers injured in a New Year’s Eve bar fire in Switzerland were transferred to specialist burn units across Europe, as authorities confirmed that at least 40 people were killed. The identification of victims has only just begun.
Investigators also started the grim task of identifying severely burned bodies following what officials describe as one of the country’s deadliest peacetime disasters.
Families and friends have gathered for a candle-lit vigil in the Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana, waiting anxiously for news of loved ones who went out to celebrate the New Year and never returned.
IDENTIFICATION EFFORTS CONTINUE AMID GROWING TOLL
Mourners have left flowers and lit candles at a makeshift memorial behind a police cordon, as authorities warned that the burns are so severe it could take days before all victims are formally identified.
Officials said the confirmed toll stands at 40 dead and at least 119 injured, though they cautioned the number could still rise as investigations continue.
Investigators believe the blaze broke out inside the Le Constellation bar, which was packed with mostly young revellers celebrating the arrival of 2026.
SPARKLER CANDLES BLAMED FOR RAPID FIRE
According to early findings, sparkler candles attached to champagne bottles ignited the ceiling after waiters carried them through the crowded basement.
Witnesses said flames reached acoustic foam lining the ceiling, causing the fire to spread rapidly as smoke filled the room and exits became difficult to reach.
One survivor described scenes of panic and confusion as people struggled to escape. “We tried to get out. I hid under a long table to avoid being burned. It was chaos. Some of us didn’t make it,” the yong man said. “I won’t give you names, but
NATIONAL MOURNING DECLARED AS PROBE WIDENS
Swiss authorities are now investigating whether the bar complied with fire-safety regulations and whether safety measures were adequate for a venue of that size.
The government has declared five days of national mourning, calling the tragedy Switzerland’s worst peacetime disaster in decades.
Officials said the impact will be felt across several countries, as Crans-Montana is a popular international ski destination attracting visitors from across Europe and beyond.
The fire comes exactly 25 years after a New Year’s Eve blaze in the Dutch fishing town of Volendam that killed 14 young people and injured hundreds. A foundation representing survivors of that disaster has offered assistance to victims in Switzerland, many of whom are being treated in hospitals across the region.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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