"Investigators said Friday that they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited a fatal fire at a Swiss ski resort when they came too close to the ceiling of a bar crowded with New Year's Eve revelers. Authorities planned to look into whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles, which give off a stream of upward-shooting sparks, were permitted for use in the bar."
"Forty people were killed and another 119 injured in the blaze early Thursday as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said. It was one of the deadliest tragedies in Switzerland's history. Officials said they would also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes. The attorney general for the Valais region warned of possible prosecutions if any criminal liability is found."
"His mother, Laetitia, was in Crans-Montana on Friday and frantic to find him. She held out "a glimmer of hope" that he might be one of the six injured people who had yet to be identified. "I'm looking everywhere. The body of my son is somewhere," she told reporters. "I want to know, where is my child, and be by his side, wherever that may be be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue.""
Investigators believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited a fatal early-Thursday blaze at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana after the sparks came too close to the ceiling. Authorities will examine whether sound-dampening ceiling material met regulations and whether the candles were permitted. Forty people were killed and 119 injured as the fire ripped through the crowded bar during New Year's Eve celebrations. Officials will review fire extinguishers, escape routes and other safety measures. The Valais attorney general warned of possible prosecutions if criminal liability is found. Victims included 71 Swiss nationals and citizens from several other countries. Families searched for missing loved ones.
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