Authorities in Switzerland admitted on Tuesday that fire safety checks had not been conducted at a bar where 40 people had died in a fire that had started in the new year for the past five years.
116 people were hurt in the Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, southwest of the Swiss Alpine ski resort, of which 83 are still recovering in various hospitals. Teenagers were the most frequently killed.
The fire, according to the prosecution, was started when revelers raised sparkler-style champagne bottles and poured sound-insulating foam onto the ceiling of the basement bar.
Read more about the Nearly 40 People Killed at the Swiss Ski Resort New Year’s Eve party.
Although fire safety inspections were carried out in 2016, 2018, and 2019, periodic inspections were not carried out between 2020 and 2025. Five days after the disaster, Crans-Montana mayor Nicolas Feraud stated in a press conference that “we bitterly regret this.”
He claimed that he did not understand why the visits had not been made, but that the law mandated that the municipal fire department conduct annual inspections in all places of business.
The municipality claimed in a statement that it had gotten information from the Wallis canton prosecutor’s office after looking through the documents.
The court will determine how a failure affected the sequence of events that caused the tragedy. According to the statement, “The municipality will assume full responsibility as determined by the courts.”
The council announced that all public buildings would be subject to the ordinance prohibiting pyrotechnic devices inside. It also announced that a specialist external agency would be appointed to inspect all public buildings.
The statement read, “The municipality of Crans-Montana continues to fully support the victims of this tragedy, their families, and loved ones, who are always in its thoughts.”
It will continue to do everything in its power to prevent another tragedy from occurring.
Foam has been in place since 2015
Le Constellation, which was rife with young partygoers at around 1: 30 am on Thursday, was owned and managed by French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti.
The pair’s case has been opened under criminal law. They are accused of arson, negligent bodily harm, and manslaughter.
Le Constellation was founded in 1967. According to a statement released on Tuesday, there is a capacity limit of 100 people on the ground floor and 100 in the basement according to reports from the municipal files.
The owners’ 2015 renovations, which the municipality claimed “did not require a permit,” revealed that the sound insulation foam had since been sprayed onto the ceiling.
The danger was well known years ago, according to a video that a member of the public shot and was broadcast on RTS on Monday.
As champagne bottles with sparklers were brought out during the 2019 New Year’s Eve celebrations, a bar employee said, “Watch out for the foam!”
Feraud, who for the time being ruled out resigning, admitted that security chiefs who visited this bar between 2015 and 2020 should have been more cautious.
He came to the conclusion, clearly shaken, “I will carry this burden and the sorrow of all these families for the rest of my life.”
The survivors who have experienced the most severe burns have been taken to specialist burns facilities in Switzerland and abroad.
Memorial service
The dead were 19 on average. Eight of the victims had undergone minor surgery.
Nine French and six Italian nationals were among the dead, despite the fact that the majority of the victims were from Switzerland.
Gian Lorenzo Cornado, Rome’s ambassador to Switzerland, stated on Monday that “this tragedy could have been avoided” and that “it should have been avoided through prevention and common sense.”
Friday is a national day of mourning in Switzerland.
Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, is scheduled to attend a memorial ceremony in Martigny, a village in the Rhone valley, from Crans-Montana.
At 2:00 p.m. (1300 GMT), all Swiss church bells were rung. A moment of silence is also planned.
Source: Channels TV
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