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

[djanga]

Swiss jewish sisters Alicia (15yo) and Diana Gonset (14yo) were also identified as victims. I think Diana is the youngest victim along with another 14 yo. So sad and tragic.

i24NEWS

www.i24news.tv

 

[detective.moon]

12:34 p.m.

Italian victims flown back to their homeland

The bodies of five of the six Italians who died in the fire are currently being transferred to Italy. An Italian Air Force plane took off from Sion Airport around noon.

According to the Italian authorities, the aircraft will first drop off four coffins in Milan and the fifth in Rome at around 3:30 p.m.

The relatives of three of the victims are also on board the aircraft, together with civil protection personnel and a team of psychologists.

Katastrophe in Crans-Montana - Barbetreiber wollte «Le Constellation» weiter ausbauen

Die Bar in Crans-Montana sollte vergrössert werden. Im Dezember hat der Betreiber laut RTS ein Gesuch eingereicht.

www.srf.ch

i saw on swiss tv that a team of around 1000 psychologists was involved in crans montana, quite quickly after it happened

i haven’t been in the french speaking part of switzerland since i was a child, but my brother who lives near zürich is convinced a fire hazard like this would have never been allowed in the german speaking part of switzerland

 

[mickey2942]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/swiss-fire-bar-9.7032125

Interesting comment from one young girl.

"Elisa Sousa, 17, said she was meant to be there, but ended up spending the evening at a family gathering instead.

"And honestly, I'll need to thank my mother a hundred times for not letting me go," she said at the vigil for the victims. "Because God knows where I'd be now."."

 

[Dotta]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/swiss-fire-bar-9.7032125

Interesting comment from one young girl.

"Elisa Sousa, 17, said she was meant to be there, but ended up spending the evening at a family gathering instead.

"And honestly, I'll need to thank my mother a hundred times for not letting me go," she said at the vigil for the victims. "Because God knows where I'd be now."."

Exactly

Till I turned 18
I was strictly supervised by my parents as I was legally a minor and under their care.
Going to clubs at night and drinking alcohol was something I couldn't even imagine doing.

I am disgusted that teens were served alcohol there,
making it normal and presenting as attractive and exciting (sparkles and all).

Kids should be protected!

In my country selling alcohol to minors is prohibited by Law.

Violating the ban on selling alcohol to minors is taken very seriously by Polish Law.

This is primarily due to concerns about the health and development of young people,
who are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

Furthermore,
selling alcohol to minors can contribute to the spread of social problems,
such as crime and alcoholism among young people.

#Upbriging In Sobriety!!!

JMO

 

[Dotta]

my brother who lives near zürich is convinced a fire hazard like this would have never been allowed in the german speaking part of switzerland

RSBM

German Ordnung

(Discipline Order Regulations)

 

[scandinavian girl]

Bodies of Italian students killed in Swiss blaze returned home​

So sad. May you all rest in peace.

 

[detective.moon]

2:04 p.m.

All injured victims of the fire disaster identified

All 116 injured victims of the fire disaster have now been identified, according to a press release issued by the Valais police. 83 of them remain hospitalized. The identification work was carried out by the Valais cantonal police, the DVI (Disaster Victim Identification) and the Institute of Forensic Medicine.

Among those affected are 21 Swiss women, 47 Swiss men, 10 French women, 11 French men, 4 Italian women, 6 Italian men, 2 Polish women, one Belgian woman, one Portuguese woman, one Czech woman, four Serbian, one Australian, one Bosnian, one Congolese, one Luxembourgish, and four men with dual nationality (France/Finland, Switzerland/Belgium, France/Italy, Italy/Philippines).

Initially, there was talk of 119 injured, but three people were mistakenly attributed to the incident. Out of consideration for the relatives, further information is not currently being published.

Katastrophe in Crans-Montana - Alle 116 Verletzten des Brandes in Crans-Montana identifiziert

Nach der Brandkatastrophe konnten alle Verletzten identifiziert werden. 83 von ihnen sind nach wie vor hospitalisiert.

www.srf.ch

the live blog also mentions some places that have announced they will start doing more thorough fire safety checks soon: a nearby place that will host the world cup skiing next weekend, the city of lausanne, and paris too.

 

[AnnieAnnieAnnieAnnie]

Exactly

Till I turned 18
I was strictly supervised by my parents as I was legally a minor and under their care.
Going to clubs at night and drinking alcohol was something I couldn't even imagine doing.

I am disgusted that teens were served alcohol there,
making it normal and presenting as attractive and exciting (sparkles and all).

Kids should be protected!

In my country selling alcohol to minors is prohibited by Law.

Violating the ban on selling alcohol to minors is taken very seriously by Polish Law.

This is primarily due to concerns about the health and development of young people,
who are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

Furthermore,
selling alcohol to minors can contribute to the spread of social problems,
such as crime and alcoholism among young people.

#Upbriging In Sobriety!!!

JMO

The age for drinking alcohol isn't 18 everywhere though. It isn't in my country.

 

[detective.moon]

The age for drinking alcohol isn't 18 everywhere though. It isn't in my country.

in switzerland it’s 16 for ordering wine or beer at a bar, 18 for stronger drinks! and this bar apparently also served alcohol to 14/15 year olds

to be honest, i’ve had a couple of beers in bars at 15 so i’m not too shocked! by now it’s a minimum age of 18 for every kind of alcohol in my country and it’s probably all a bit stricter

 

[Chimera]

So angry about all of this.
It didn't have to happen with a little foresight, and would have been preventable with at least one or two working outdoor exits from the basement and working fire extinguishers that weren't locked away in an unused room.
Imo.

 

[Rikissa]

So angry about all of this.
It didn't have to happen with a little foresight, and would have been preventable with at least one or two working outdoor exits from the basement and working fire extinguishers that weren't locked away in an unused room.
Imo.

When I looked photos of the bar from before the fire I noticed a fire extingusher behind what looked as a bar. It seems as a photo taken by someone visiting the place. Is there a source for working fire extinguisers locked away in an unused room?
See photo 26 of 29.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g198810-d10030126-Reviews-Le_Constellation-Crans_Montana_Canton_of_Valais_Swiss_Alps.html#/media/10030126/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=101&category=101

 

[mickey2942]

When I looked photos of the bar from before the fire I noticed a fire extingusher behind what looked as a bar. It seems as a photo taken by someone visiting the place. Is there a source for working fire extinguisers locked away in an unused room?
See photo 26 of 29.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g198810-d10030126-Reviews-Le_Constellation-Crans_Montana_Canton_of_Valais_Swiss_Alps.html#/media/10030126/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=101&category=101

It is one thing to "have a fire extinguisher". It is completely separate from actually providing training to staff on how to use it, where it is, and designated staff member on duty for emergency response.

We realized this once, during a mandatory fire drill, we really had no clue where the fire extinguisher was, or what to do with it. Our plan was just to evacuate. And we stayed with that plan. But we did identify location of fire extinguisher.

 

[PrairieWind]

When I looked photos of the bar from before the fire I noticed a fire extingusher behind what looked as a bar. It seems as a photo taken by someone visiting the place. Is there a source for working fire extinguisers locked away in an unused room?
See photo 26 of 29.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g198810-d10030126-Reviews-Le_Constellation-Crans_Montana_Canton_of_Valais_Swiss_Alps.html#/media/10030126/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=101&category=101

Oh I see what you are referring to. It does look like a large fire extinguisher. It will be interesting to learn if any fire extinguishers were deployed or what experts say as to if they would have been effective on that foam ceiling.

 

[Rikissa]

It is one thing to "have a fire extinguisher". It is completely separate from actually providing training to staff on how to use it, where it is, and designated staff member on duty for emergency response.

We realized this once, during a mandatory fire drill, we really had no clue where the fire extinguisher was, or what to do with it. Our plan was just to evacuate. And we stayed with that plan. But we did identify location of fire extinguisher.

Yes, it's true that the staff has to know how to use it, but in the post I quoted it's said

So angry about all of this.
It didn't have to happen with a little foresight, and would have been preventable with at least one or two working outdoor exits from the basement and working fire extinguishers that weren't locked away in an unused room.
Imo.

Has this been verified? If that's true, then I would guess that's something that can lead to prosecution.

As for using a fire extinguisher, if there is an easy access to it, then anyone could use it in case of a fire. You can learn how to use one in less than five minutes, it's more difficult (and heavier) to learn how to use a fire hose rolled up in a cabinet on the wall.

 

[Rikissa]

Oh I see what you are referring to. It does look like a large fire extinguisher. It will be interesting to learn if any fire extinguishers were deployed or what experts say as to if they would have been effective on that foam ceiling.

There is a video in the beginning of this thread where a man is standing and trying to hit the flames with what appears to be a towel, or something. I would guess that it could have aided in spreading the flames instead. If the fire extinguisher had been used then, and the people at that moment had decided to leave the bar, instead of looking on to the attempts to extinguish the flames, the end result would have been different. The bar might still have burned down, but it would have given more people the time to get out.

The video is in this article:

Sparklers held near ceiling started Swiss ski resort fire, investigators believe

Footage and witness statements show blaze that killed about 40 was ‘very rapid’, prosecutor says

www.theguardian.com

 

[Serononin]

I believe the Bradford fire of 1985 is what usually gets shown in British fire safety videos. The 75 year old main stand at Bradford City FC's Valley Parade football ground caught fire during a match. Once the flames reached the roof, which was wooden and covered in tar impregnated felt, they flames spread along it faster than people could run to get out. 56 people died.

The moral of all this is if you see a fire - run!

That one always sticks in my mind, too. My dad grew up in Bradford, and had a classmate who lost her dad and brother in that fire

 

[Herat]

When I looked photos of the bar from before the fire I noticed a fire extingusher behind what looked as a bar. It seems as a photo taken by someone visiting the place. Is there a source for working fire extinguisers locked away in an unused room?
See photo 26 of 29.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g198810-d10030126-Reviews-Le_Constellation-Crans_Montana_Canton_of_Valais_Swiss_Alps.html#/media/10030126/?type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&albumid=101&category=101

Good catch. I wonder if it was still there or if it had been moved so a box of sparklers would be more at hand.

Fire extinguishers need to be inspected regularly in US workplaces. In the hospital I worked in, there was a person who did nothing but this for their jobs, inspecting them monthly and there must have been hundreds and hundreds of them.

They should be inspected: Monthly ( can be done by the staff to assure they are in the proper location available for immediate use, and by regular inspectors: Annually, every 6 years, every 12 years.

Just as important is to assure every employee is capable of using them properly. We would have at least quarterly drills where a "mock fire" would be made by the safety department where a battery powered, flashing red light would be left in a place and the safety officer would monitor to see how long it took for the discovering employee to find it and go through the proper announcement and phone call, then show how to use a modified fire extinguisher properly.

We were all rather terrified of being put on the spot, but it was a very good way to get everyone to pay attention and think about what needed to be done in case of a fire.

My guess is that any fire extinguisher at Le Constitution was from the original 2015 remodel and had never been tested or changed in the 10 years since, and there was no regular testing of employees.

 

[djanga]

This article talks about Giuliano Biasini, the director of the Le Constellation, he was initially added into missing people list, as his relatives declared him missing. However, he was not missing or injured. I'm not a safety expert," Biasini said: "but in my experience, "Le Constellation" was absolutely not a dangerous place. I usually went there with friends for a beer, as well as to work there. But I can say that the regulations here are strict and are enforced: all the places are safe," assures the restaurant manager, who emphasizes that at the time of the tragedy he was not there but in another place "a couple of kilometers from Crans, but here the area is small and we all know each other."

The article also states:
No one, at least judging by the footage filmed by customers on their cell phones and acquired by the police, attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. Perhaps it wasn't even there, along with a fire sprinkler system that never went into operation.

Biasini, il manager di sala del bar di Crans-Montana finito per errore nella lista dei dispersi: «La strage? È stata una fatalità»

Giuliano Biasini, direttore di sala del Le Constellation, era finito per errore nella lista degli irreperibili. «Ho saputo della strage dalle sirene»

roma.corriere.it

 

[Charlot123]

Regardless of future sentence
this guy is finished in "hospitality"/tourism business IMO.

Procedures in some countries may be lax or not properly executed
but the moment tragedy happens due to negligence
the owner becomes bad news, total failure for the Industry.
They cut such a person off, like a bad omen.

JMO

Question is whether his “businesses” in Crans Montana were also somewhat of money-laundering schemes. If his “pimping” business in France used to be profitable, people usually don’t walk away from it. They “expand”.

And a worse question: were any of the people he pimped in France minors?

I wonder if the trend to make money on minors is more ubiquitous?

Now it is obvious why most of the photos are of his wife. She had a degree from the university of Aberdeen or such, she was the “educated” one.

The news are in many newspapers. I just posted the link that is not behind the paywall.

 

[detective.moon]

Paris public prosecutor's office launches investigation

The Paris public prosecutor's office is now also getting involved in the tragedy in Crans-Montana. A so-called “mirror investigation” has been opened to support the French families in the investigations being conducted by the Swiss authorities, the French Attorney General announced in a statement on Monday.

The Paris public prosecutor's office's mass accident department is thus providing a central point of contact for French victims and their relatives in France. At the same time, the statement continues, the aim is to facilitate communication with the Swiss authorities where necessary. The case has been transferred to the OCRVP (Central Office for Combating Violence Against Persons) of the National Criminal Investigation Directorate.

Silvester-Drama: Tote und Schwerverletzte in Crans-Montana

Beim Brand in Crans-Montana kamen 40 Menschen ums Leben, 116 wurden verletzt. Das Feuer in der Bar «Le Constellation» wurde von Champagner-Wunderkerzen ausgelöst. Mittlerweile sind alle Brandopfer identifiziert. Blick berichtet im Ticker über die neusten Erkenntnisse.

www.blick.ch