No safety inspections at site of Swiss bar fire for past five years, mayor says

"Authorities in Crans-Montana have said the bar that caught fire in the Swiss ski resort on New Year's Eve, killing 40 mainly young partygoers and injuring more than 100, had not been inspected by safety officers for the past five years. Periodic inspections were not conducted between 2020 and 2025. We bitterly regret this, the mayor of the town, Nicolas Feraud, told a press conference in the town on Tuesday, five days after the disaster at Le Constellation bar."

"Feraud said he had no answer as to why the bar, which was renovated in 2015, had not been inspected annually, as required by the town's bylaws, but noted that a team of five safety officers was responsible for checking more than 10,000 buildings. We're profoundly sorry, and I know how hard that will be for the families, Feraud added. He said he and his fellow councillors would not be resigning."

"The last of the 40 people who died in the fire who included 21 Swiss nationals, nine French citizens including two with dual nationality, six Italians, and one person each from Belgium, Portugal, Romania and Turkey were identified on Sunday. Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims, although several have been publicly identified by their families. They were aged between 14 and 39, but were overwhelmingly young: 20 were minors, and the average age was 19."

The Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana caught fire on New Year's Eve, killing 40 people and injuring more than 100. Periodic safety inspections were not conducted at the bar between 2020 and 2025, despite bylaws requiring annual checks. Investigators suspect the blaze started in a basement party room after sparklers attached to champagne bottles were held too close to a ceiling that images suggest was clad with soundproofing foam. A team of five safety officers was responsible for checking over 10,000 buildings. The mayor expressed regret and pledged transparency while councillors said they would not resign. Victims ranged from 14 to 39, average age 19.

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