Swiss Bar Fire Site Went Uninspected for Safety Since 2019, Mayor Says
6 Jan 2026 5:49 PM IST6 Jan 2026 5:49 PM IST
Following the catastrophic fire at 'Le Constellation' bar that resulted in 40 fatalities, Crans-Montana's Mayor Nicolas Feraud disclosed that fire inspections had been neglected since 2019.
Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud attends a press conference by the city council of the resort of Crans-Montana on January 6, 2026, following the devastating New Year bar blaze. Swiss local authorities admitted on January 6 they failed to conduct periodic fire and safety inspections over the past five years at a bar where an inferno killed 40 people and injured 116 others. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Crans-Montana: No safety inspections were carried out since 2019 at the Swiss bar that burst into flames at New Year, killing 40 people, the mayor of the ski resort of Crans-Montana said on Tuesday.
Most of the victims of the blaze that tore through the "Le Constellation" bar in the early hours of January 1 were teenagers and Swiss authorities have been scrambling to find answers as to how the disaster occurred.
"We are profoundly sorry. We did not have an indication that the checks had not been done," Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud told reporters on the absence of fire checks between 2020-2025 at the bar in the canton of Valais.
Prosecutors have said the fire that spread rapidly in the early hours of January 1 was likely caused by sparkling candles igniting the ceiling of the bar's basement, which was covered in a foam material used for sound-proofing.
Annual Inspections Required
Feraud said fire inspections should be carried out annually in the town's bars, and that the last one in 2019 at "Le Constellation" had been positive.
The sound-proof foam on its ceiling was considered acceptable at the time, and a fire alarm was not required due to the bar's size, he added.
"There was never any checks on this sound-proofing foam. Our security agents did not consider it necessary," Feraud said.
Sparkler Candles Now Banned
Sparkler candles have now been banned inside the town's venues, he said.
Authorities are investigating the two people who ran the bar on suspicion of crimes including homicide by negligence. On Sunday, police said circumstances did not currently merit them being put under arrest, and they did not see a flight risk.
Feraud said authorities had closed another venue run by the bar's operators.
( Source : Reuters )
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