Sparkler-Topped Champagne Likely Ignited Deadly New Year’s Blaze at Swiss Ski-Resort Bar

Swiss investigators say sparklers attached to champagne bottles were the likely cause of a fast-moving fire that tore through Le Constellation, a popular bar in the Crans‑Montana ski resort, during New Year’s celebrations. The blaze, which began in the basement, killed 40 people and injured 119, many of them teenagers and people in their early 20s.

Officials said most of those who died were found in the basement and dozens are badly burned and fighting for their lives. Prosecutor General Beatrice Pilloud said survivor accounts and videos suggest the sparkler‑topped bottles were held too close to the ceiling. Officials also said an explosion followed the fire, likely a flashover that caused rapid, widespread ignition.

Witnesses and survivors described the basement ceiling catching fire, acoustic foam coming loose, panic on the single visible stairway and people stampeding toward the only exit they knew. A 17‑year‑old who helped force open a glass door outside created an alternate escape route for trapped patrons.

Authorities said the building did have an emergency exit, but many people apparently missed it amid the sudden smoke and flames. Investigators have interviewed the two French citizens who run the bar and are examining construction materials, licences, fire safety measures, exits and capacity to determine whether criminal negligence occurred.

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Sports, United States, World, Switzerland, Fire, Investigation, Safety