Switzerland holds a day of mourning for 40 people who died in an Alpine bar fire during New Year's celebrations. Prosecutors have requested one of the managers to be placed in pre-trial detention, citing a "risk of flight."
The owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana were suspected of involuntary homicide, bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into their negligence. Fire safety inspections had not been carried out since 2019.
According to investigators, the fire was likely started by candles on champagne bottles coming too close to the ceiling, which may have also led to questions about whether soundproofing material conformed with regulations and if the use of candles in the bar was permitted.
The severity of burns meant that some victims could not be identified immediately, requiring families to provide DNA samples. Police reported that many of the victims were teenagers or young adults.
An autopsy has been ordered for five Italian victims whose bodies have been returned to Milan, Bologna and Genoa for further investigation by prosecutors' offices there.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has demanded that those responsible be identified and prosecuted, stating "What happened is not a disaster, it's the result of too many people who didn't do their job or who thought they were making easy money." The Rome Prosecutor's Office is leading a separate probe into the incident.
The owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana were suspected of involuntary homicide, bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into their negligence. Fire safety inspections had not been carried out since 2019.
According to investigators, the fire was likely started by candles on champagne bottles coming too close to the ceiling, which may have also led to questions about whether soundproofing material conformed with regulations and if the use of candles in the bar was permitted.
The severity of burns meant that some victims could not be identified immediately, requiring families to provide DNA samples. Police reported that many of the victims were teenagers or young adults.
An autopsy has been ordered for five Italian victims whose bodies have been returned to Milan, Bologna and Genoa for further investigation by prosecutors' offices there.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has demanded that those responsible be identified and prosecuted, stating "What happened is not a disaster, it's the result of too many people who didn't do their job or who thought they were making easy money." The Rome Prosecutor's Office is leading a separate probe into the incident.
This is just heartbreaking. Can you imagine walking into a bar on New Year's and then getting caught up in such tragedy? It's like, what could have been a night to celebrate, party, and dance turns out to be one of the darkest nights for 40 families... 
The whole thing just stinks, from not having fire safety inspections since 2019 to using candles in a bar. I mean, it's just basic common sense. Young lives lost to something so preventable... 
I hope those responsible are caught and held accountable 
. And the fact that Italian victims' bodies had to go through DNA analysis because of burn severity is just heartbreaking 
. It's all about responsibility, you know? Can't just turn a blind eye to these things. We need more accountability and stricter regulations around public places like bars and nightclubs 
.
. 40 people dead because someone lit candles on champagne bottles... like, come on! 
It's not even that hard to keep track of fire hazards when you're running a bar in the mountains 
. And now they're blaming it on a "risk of flight" from one of the managers? 
Like, that's just a cop-out (no pun intended). The owners should be held accountable for their negligence and poor decision-making 
and now the owners are all high & dry, like where was the fire safety inspection team in 2019?! 
they're basically saying "oops, sorry not sorry" 
I mean, what about all those Italian victims who are still in Italy getting further investigated? does anyone even care about their families? 
the police report it was mostly teens & young adults... like what were they doing there anyway? 
. The investigation into involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and reckless use of candles is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to prevent similar tragedies from occurring 
. The government's swift response, including the request for pre-trial detention for one of the managers, demonstrates a commitment to accountability 
. Ultimately, this incident highlights the need for enhanced safety protocols and stricter enforcement of regulations, particularly in high-risk settings like bars and nightclubs 
.
. It's really crazy that the bar owners didn't conduct fire safety inspections since 2019! Like, how can you be so careless with people's lives? 
. And now, one of the managers is being held in pre-trial detention... justice for them will hopefully be served soon 
And the soundproofing material thing... I'm no expert but isn't that something basic that you're supposed to check before opening a bar? 
. This is definitely going to be a tough investigation, especially with the Italian victims still being in Italy... hopefully justice will be served 
40 ppl died and the owners are just chillin thinking "oh no worries we got away with it" meanwhile italian pm is like "get it together guys this is a travesty" 
. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is on it though, demanding justice and accountability. Hopefully the culprits get caught and prosecuted - it's the least they deserve 
soundproofing regulations are one thing, but what about human responsibility? didn't the owners know somethin was off? didn't anyone raise an alarm when they found out fire safety inspections hadn't been done in years? it's not just about followin rules, it's about lookin out for each other 
can't even imagine how their families must be feeling 
the fact that fire safety inspections haven't been done since 2019 is just so disturbing 
. And those candles on champagne bottles... I mean, come on! How careless can you be? 
. And what really gets me is how some people in power are already calling out for accountability... I just hope that justice is served and those responsible face the consequences 
. It's a shame that soundproofing material might've been the culprit all along... just wondering what kind of regulations were being ignored in Crans-Montana 
.