Swiss police have confirmed that all 116 people injured in the devastating New Year's Day fire at a bar in the Alps have now been identified. The blaze at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana claimed the lives of 40 individuals.
International Toll of the Disaster
The full scale of the international tragedy has been laid bare by authorities. A total of 116 people were injured in the fire that tore through the crowded venue in the early hours of 1 January. Of those, 83 people remain in hospital receiving treatment.
The breakdown of the injured reveals a broad cross-section of nationalities caught up in the disaster:
- 68 Swiss citizens
- 21 French nationals
- 10 Italians
- 4 Serbs
- 2 Poles
In addition, single nationals from Australia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Portugal, and the Republic of Congo were hurt. Four individuals held dual nationality, combining citizenships of France and Finland, France and Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, and Italy and the Philippines.
Victims Identified Amidst Heartbreaking Scenes
Authorities stated on Sunday that they had successfully identified all 40 of the people who lost their lives. The process was complicated by the severity of burns suffered by some victims, requiring families to provide DNA samples to aid identification.
The youngest victim was just 14 years old. Among the deceased was 15-year-old Charlotte Niddam, who held joint British, Israeli, and French citizenship. She was a pupil at the private Immanuel College in Hertfordshire.
On Monday, Italian authorities repatriated the bodies of five victims. In a sombre ceremony at Sion airport, Swiss police pallbearers carried coffins past rows of firefighters and soldiers to a waiting Italian aircraft, as mourning relatives embraced before boarding.
Criminal Investigation and Probable Cause
A criminal investigation is now underway, focusing on the managers of Le Constellation bar. The Valais region's chief prosecutor confirmed the two are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm, and involuntarily causing a fire.
Current evidence suggests the catastrophic fire was triggered by festive sparklers placed on top of Champagne bottles, which are believed to have ignited the ceiling. The fire broke out at around 1.30am during New Year's celebrations, turning the popular alpine venue into a scene of chaos and tragedy.
The community of Crans-Montana and nations across Europe are now united in grief, as the long process of recovery and seeking justice for the victims begins.
