Switzerland - 40 dead and 116 injured in fire in bar in Crans-Montana, Swiss ski resort, 1 January 2026

[Deleted member 212413]

Considering they were regularly allowing underage teens into their club without any repercussions, I seriously doubt there was ever any process for employee fire drill training or fire safety.

And this is not the kind of drill that can be done by watching a video on fire safety. It has to be done in person, with repetitive drills done, with attendance taken, to assure that EVERY employee has participated and proven themselves capable of understanding and actually working the fire extinguishers, and the emergency exits.

I agree 100%.

 

[Penny68]

Since she obviously knew the fire was really bad, for her to even think to grab the till and run out of the building. (possibly to put in into her car)

I wonder how she managed to pass so many trying to escape from the only access up the stairs. I dread to think she clambered over many in her quest to get out.

As for the money in the till I was thinking as all the youngsters were young, then maybe they didn't have bank accounts, so they used maybe Christmas cash that they had been given by relatives, friends, etc..

 

[Herat]

Since she obviously knew the fire was really bad, for her to even think to grab the till and run out of the building. (possibly to put in into her car)

I wonder how she managed to pass so many trying to escape from the only access up the stairs. I dread to think she clambered over many in her quest to get out.

As for the money in the till I was thinking as all the youngsters were young, then maybe they didn't have bank accounts, so they used maybe Christmas cash that they had been given by relatives, friends, etc..

There would have to be two tills, one for the ground floor /terrace bar and one for the basement bar. It would be very impractical for someone to run up and down the stairs with the basement cash or electronic receipt all the time, especially on a hugely busy night like NYE.

My impression is that she would have regularly been working on the ground floor bar area and that was the till that she took.

I don't think she was likely in the basement at the time the fire started.

 

[Herat]

Since she obviously knew the fire was really bad, for her to even think to grab the till and run out of the building. (possibly to put in into her car)

I wonder how she managed to pass so many trying to escape from the only access up the stairs. I dread to think she clambered over many in her quest to get out.

As for the money in the till I was thinking as all the youngsters were young, then maybe they didn't have bank accounts, so they used maybe Christmas cash that they had been given by relatives, friends, etc..

In that demographic area, I would believe that anyone going to a nightclub, even as underage teens, are going to have pay capacity associated with their phones. This is an affluent area and the majority of people have electronic / tap payments linked to their own or a parent's account.

Some of the underaged teens that died were attending schools in other countries. I am sure they would have had access to electronic payments via their phones.

 

[djanga]

Not all of the teens who were attending the party had family houses in Switzerland or studied abroad. There are articles about this group of classmates—Leonardo Bove, Kean Talingdan, Sofia Donadio, and Francesca Nota. Three of the teens were guests of one of the girls who had a holiday house in Switzerland. Il Giorno reports on a fundraising campaign for Leonardo Bove’s family, who needed funds to stay in Switzerland, as Leonardo is hospitalized there and has not been transferable until now.

I was following their story and wondering where the group was located when the fire started. All four suffered severe burns but managed to escape the premises. In one article, Kean’s father says that he received a call from his son before he was taken to hospital with severe burns. Kean told him that he had managed to escape but had severe pain in all his body.

Leonardo Bove ricoverato a Zurigo, raccolta fondi per aiutare il papà: “Resti vicino a lui senza l’ansia di tornare al lavoro"

La solidarietà dei colleghi di Gabriele, lavoratore precario nel mondo del cinema: “Il ragazzo a Crans-Montana ospite di un’amica, non sono ricchi”. In appena un’ora raccolti oltre 8.000 euro sulla piattaforma Gofundme

www.ilgiorno.it

 

[djanga]

This article states that in Milano hospital, 13,000 centimeters of skin were used for four burn victims, but three remain critically ill.

I think, these kids will need a lot of time for recovery. And probably a lot of money, I hope it will be all covered.

Crans Montana, corsa contro il tempo al Niguarda: usati 13mila centimetri di pelle per quattro ustionati, ma tre restano critici

Sono 11 i pazienti ricoverati nell'ospedale di Milano, alcuni danno segni di lieve miglioramento. Tre di loro, però, restano in condizioni molto delicate anche a causa di altre complicazioni dovute all'inalazione di fumi

www.milanotoday.it

 

[Herat]

This article states that in Milano hospital, 13,000 centimeters of skin were used for four burn victims, but three remain critically ill.

I think, these kids will need a lot of time for recovery. And probably a lot of money, I hope it will be all covered.

Crans Montana, corsa contro il tempo al Niguarda: usati 13mila centimetri di pelle per quattro ustionati, ma tre restano critici

Sono 11 i pazienti ricoverati nell'ospedale di Milano, alcuni danno segni di lieve miglioramento. Tre di loro, però, restano in condizioni molto delicate anche a causa di altre complicazioni dovute all'inalazione di fumi

www.milanotoday.it

The survival of burn patients is directly related to the initial evaluation of the amount of skin burned, and where the worst burns are. Many may also have serious lung damage from the inhalation of toxic chemical smoke. Tragically, many will never return to the function they once had.

Those who have significant burns are not out of the woods yet.

For those who are able to get to the level of getting skin grafts and rehabilitation, it is a very long and painful way back, requiring months to years of rehab and therapy. It is also very distressing for those patients who are in hospitals that are not even in Switzerland, making it very difficult for family members to visit or attend and encourage them. Some patients were transferred to hospitals as far away as Poland. That is a huge expense for a family of limited means that cannot afford to take off work for extended periods of time.

 

[djanga]

Another group of teens from Milan were Chiara Costanza, Achille Barosi, and Giuseppe Giola. Only Giuseppe survived the fire; he reportedly did so “by a miracle,” I think possibly he became separated from his friends. Achille had reportedly left the bar earlier but returned to retrieve his phone and jacket, which he had left inside. From the articles I’ve read, it appears that he was unaware of the fire when he went back, as everything happened very quickly. Many reports mention that there was an explosion after the fire started.

Crans Montana, il padre di Giuseppe Giola: «Ha saputo ieri che i suoi amici sono morti. Con Chiara Costanzo e Achille Barosi erano inseparabili»

Per Valentino Giola, padre di Giuseppe Giola, uno dei ragazzi che si è salvato dalla tragedia di Capodanno, Crans Montana è un po' come una seconda casa perché la sua...

www.ilmessaggero.it

 

[Herat]

Another group of teens from Milan were Chiara Costanza, Achille Barosi, and Giuseppe Giola. Only Giuseppe survived the fire; he reportedly did so “by a miracle,” I think possibly he became separated from his friends. Achille had reportedly left the bar earlier but returned to retrieve his phone and jacket, which he had left inside. From the articles I’ve read, it appears that he was unaware of the fire when he went back, as everything happened very quickly. Many reports mention that there was an explosion after the fire started.

Crans Montana, il padre di Giuseppe Giola: «Ha saputo ieri che i suoi amici sono morti. Con Chiara Costanzo e Achille Barosi erano inseparabili»

Per Valentino Giola, padre di Giuseppe Giola, uno dei ragazzi che si è salvato dalla tragedia di Capodanno, Crans Montana è un po' come una seconda casa perché la sua...

www.ilmessaggero.it

Thank you, @djanga for being able to find and share European news about this tragedy.

It certainly adds a much-needed perspective.

 

[AnnieAnnieAnnieAnnie]

The survival of burn patients is directly related to the initial evaluation of the amount of skin burned, and where the worst burns are. Many may also have serious lung damage from the inhalation of toxic chemical smoke. Tragically, many will never return to the function they once had.

Those who have significant burns are not out of the woods yet.

For those who are able to get to the level of getting skin grafts and rehabilitation, it is a very long and painful way back, requiring months to years of rehab and therapy. It is also very distressing for those patients who are in hospitals that are not even in Switzerland, making it very difficult for family members to visit or attend and encourage them. Some patients were transferred to hospitals as far away as Poland. That is a huge expense for a family of limited means that cannot afford to take off work for extended periods of time.

There are some also in Norway.

 

[Herat]

There are some also in Norway.

If it was even possible in some cases, the cost of transferring a severely-injured burn patient from a Norwegian hospital to one closer to home for some of these patients would be astonishingly expensive.

 

[djanga]

I think it was already discussed on this thread. Now we know that there was no explosion. What appeared to be an explosion from the outside was a flashover, which probably caused parts of the structure to collapse, producing the sound that witnesses heard outside. I guess the flashover took the lives of many people.

 

[Dotta]

"Moretti could be looking at more severe charges.​

This new detail
(a service door in the basement was locked from the inside)
is of crucial importance to the investigation.

Several guests of the bar tried to escape through this door when the fire broke out,
but were trapped behind the door,
and eventually lost their lives.

The public prosecutor's office is now investigating the new revelations."

Service door in Swiss bar fire was locked from the inside, owner says

The charges against the bar owner, Jacques Moretti, could be complicated if the public prosecutor concludes that he is partly to blame for the door being locked. Moretti says he does not know why the fire exit door was locked.

www.euronews.com

 

[AnnieAnnieAnnieAnnie]

If it was even possible in some cases, the cost of transferring a severely-injured burn patient from a Norwegian hospital to one closer to home for some of these patients would be astonishingly expensive.

I have no idea about who pays, but I know of two people who have hadd accidents in other European countries and been transferred to their home European country with no charge.

 

[Herat]

Here is an explanation of a flashover:

"When a flame in a room is not quickly put out, hot gases rise to the ceiling and spread heat throughout the space, fire experts say. Temperatures can rise quickly to as high as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, a point at which everything in the room can start burning at once, according to the [US] National Fire Protection Association."

“All the wood, all the seats, all of the decorations and everything else in the room would be heated to the ignition temperature,” said Steve Kerber, executive director of UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute in Maryland. “If you have very combustible materials, like plastics, it happens very fast.”

In a flashover, a flame can spread from a candle to a sofa, then to the carpet and the rest of the room in three to five minutes, depending on the type of materials involved, Mr. Kerber said.

It would burn the people inside too.

Even a firefighter in full protective gear would be unlikely to survive a flashover, according to the National Fire Protection Association. “Those are temperatures well beyond what you could get away with breathing,” Mr. Kerber
said.

Here is the key message in this article: Flashovers are preventable. Sprinklers can stop fires from reaching that point, Mr. Kerber said, as can adherence to fire codes, including not having flammable material on ceilings in enclosed spaces.

(emphasis by me)

It’s Likely That a Flashover Occurred During the Swiss Bar Fire. Here’s What That Means.

A flashover is an event where an entire room is rapidly engulfed in flames.

www.nytimes.com

This reminds me of the descriptions of the effects of the pyroclastic flows from Mt. Vesuvius that decimated Pompei.

 

[Dotta]

"Jacques Moretti told investigators that
he had carried out tests and the candles were not powerful enough to ignite the acoustic foam.

Regarding the presence of numerous underage kids in the bar at the time of the tragedy,
Jacques Moretti said
the establishment prohibited anyone under the age of 16
and that customers aged 16 to 18 had to be accompanied by an adult.

He said he had given these 'instructions' to the security staff,
but acknowledged that
'it is possible that there was a lapse in protocol'."

Crans-Montana bar owner says service door was locked during deadly New Year blaze

The owner of the bar where 40 people died at a New Years eve party in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, told police a service door had been locked from the inside during the blaze. Jacques and Jessica Moretti, co-owners…

www.france24.com

 

[Herat]

"Jacques Moretti told investigators that
he had carried out tests and the candles were not powerful enough to ignite the acoustic foam.

Regarding the presence of numerous underage kids in the bar at the time of the tragedy,
Jacques Moretti said
the establishment prohibited anyone under the age of 16
and that customers aged 16 to 18 had to be accompanied by an adult.

He said he had given these 'instructions' to the security staff,
but acknowledged that
'it is possible that there was a lapse in protocol'."

Crans-Montana bar owner says service door was locked during deadly New Year blaze

The owner of the bar where 40 people died at a New Years eve party in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, told police a service door had been locked from the inside during the blaze. Jacques and Jessica Moretti, co-owners…

www.france24.com

I just don't believe for one minute that Moretti carried out tests to see if sparklers would set the ceiling on fire. None of this could be proven in a court of law.

I think he should just keep his mouth shut at this point.

 

[espirtu pampa]

I have no idea about who pays, but I know of two people who have hadd accidents in other European countries and been transferred to their home European country with no charge.

The "travel insurance cy" must have paid.

 

[Kaley Smith]

Also the clientele was so young that they just didn't have the life experience to understand what was happening. There should have been a designated leader and all of that set up - which would be a part of regular fire drills and fire safety training.

I don't expect fire drills in bars. I do expect young people to go through fire drills at school to learn to get out very quickly once they see a flame spreading. If people want to sue the bar because it was a fire trap, had blocked exits, and very careless employees they have a case. If I were the defense I would play the video where people were standing, watching the blaze instead of getting the heck out of there like we learn to do in Grade 1 already. Some were dancing, laughing and even taking videos as the ceiling was burning. What a tragedy!

 

[AnnieAnnieAnnieAnnie]

The "travel insurance cy" must have paid.

I would presume so, but not sure they definitely both had it, or just had the standard govt EU coverage that you get free medical treatment in other EU countries. Thankfully I've never needed to know exactly what that covers on our free govt medical cards.

Adding that I know Switzerland is outside the EU, but for many things they adopt EU law/policies.