Sparklers on champagne bottles blamed for deadly Swiss ski‑resort bar fire

Sparklers attached to champagne bottles are the likely cause of the deadly blaze that swept through the Constellation bar in Crans‑Montana in the early hours of New Year's Day, Valais attorney general Beatrice Pilloud said. At least 40 people were killed and 119 injured in the fire.

The severity of burns is complicating identification of victims, and officials say DNA tests may be needed and could take weeks. Images shared online show people holding sparklers on bottles beneath the bar's foam‑like ceiling. Authorities have not yet concluded whether that ceiling material, possibly sound‑proofing, fuelled the rapid spread of the fire.

A retired firefighter who reviewed online footage suggested the ceiling was coated with flammable polyurethane foam similar to that used on Grenfell Tower, saying such material should not be near uncontrolled naked flames. Questions have also been raised about the bar's safety setup.

The venue reportedly had more than one emergency exit, but victims did not find them. Owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti were interviewed as witnesses, not under caution, officials said. Some 22 young patients remain in critical condition at Lausanne University Hospital. Among the injured are 71 Swiss, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia‑Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland; the nationalities of 14 people are unclear.

Key Topics

World, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ski Resort, Fire, Investigation, Missing Persons