Swiss bar that caught fire on New Years Day had no safety checks

Swiss Bar Fire Safety Inspections Lacked for Five Years, Authorities Admit

A fire safety inspection at a popular ski bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, had not taken place since 2019, according to local authorities. The Le Constellation ski bar suffered a devastating blaze on New Year’s Day, resulting in the deaths of 40 people and injuring 116 others.

According to Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud, no fire safety checks were conducted between 2020 and 2025. “Periodic inspections were not conducted during this period,” Feraud stated at a news conference on Tuesday. The mayor expressed regret over the lack of inspections.

The fire is believed to have started when revellers raised champagne bottles with lit sparklers attached, setting light to sound-insulating foam on the ceiling of the bar’s basement. Authorities have confirmed that the foam was deemed acceptable during the last fire safety check in 2019.

As a result of the incident, all sparkler candles have been banned inside bars and clubs in Crans-Montana. An external agency has been commissioned to inspect all public establishments in the area. Two individuals who ran the bar are currently under investigation for suspected crimes, including homicide by negligence.

Source: Al Jazeera