Sparklers and ceiling foam probed after fast-spreading Swiss bar blaze

Investigators are probing how and why a New Year's Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana spread so rapidly, killing at least 40 people and injuring 119. Authorities said in a press conference that sparklers attached to champagne bottles that were held "too close to the ceiling" appear to have started the blaze in the bar's basement.

BBC Verify examined survivor and onlooker images and videos showing people holding bottles with lit sparklers above their heads and flames gathering on the ceiling. The images were verified as from the night of the fire and showed no sign of AI manipulation. Experts told BBC Verify the ceiling covering visible in photos appears to be polyurethane acoustic "egg box" foam, which can be highly flammable if untreated.

Officials have not confirmed the material type or whether it met safety standards. Fire safety specialists said the scene is consistent with a "flashover," when hot gases ignite a room almost instantly; survival after flashover is described as very unlikely. Videos show people trying to extinguish flames and then fleeing up a narrow stairwell from the basement.

Authorities say the building had more than one exit but cannot yet say whether emergency exits were open at the time. The canton’s Office Cantonal du Feu is responsible for inspections that should be carried out annually. Officials have interviewed the bar's managers and survivors, and local media report the venue had been inspected three times in the past ten years.

Key Topics

AI, United States, World, Switzerland, Fire Safety, Bar Fire, Crans-montana