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\nThe scene of the fire in Crans-Montana<\/p>\n
No \u2060safety inspections were carried out since 2019 at the Swiss bar where a fire broke out on New Year, killing 40 people and injuring 116 others, the mayor of the town of Crans-Montana has said.<\/p>\n
“Periodic inspections were not conducted between 2020 and 2025. We bitterly regret this,” Crans-Montana mayor Nicolas Feraud told a press conference in the Alpine ski resort, five days after the disaster at Le Constellation bar.<\/p>\n
“We are profoundly sorry. We did not have an indication that the checks had not been done,” Mr Feraud said.<\/p>\n
The fire broke out in the early hours of 1 January as New Year revellers were celebrating in the packed bar.<\/p>\n
\nThe scene of the fire in Crans-Montana<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have said that the fire was likely caused by sparkling candles igniting the ceiling of the bar’s basement.<\/p>\n
Video footage from the tragedy shows young people desperately trying to flee the scene, some breaking windows to try to force their way out.<\/p>\n
One video shared on social media showed the low wooden ceiling – covered with soundproofing foam – catching fire and the flames spreading quickly, as partygoers continued to dance.<\/p>\n
The mayor said today \u2060that the soundproof foam used in the bar was considered acceptable \u2060at \u200dthe \u2060time.<\/p>\n
All sparkler candles have now been \u200dbanned inside venues, the mayor said.<\/p>\n
Looking at the images of the event, experts suggested the “highly flammable” foam may have caused a flashover – a near-simultaneous ignition of everything in an enclosed space.<\/p>\n
The 40 victims, aged between 14 and 39, included: 21 Swiss nationals; nine French nationals including one Franco-Swiss and one triple national of France, Israel and Britain; six Italians including one Italian-Emirati; one Belgian woman; one Portuguese woman; one Romanian man; and one Turkish man.<\/p>\n
With Crans-Montana a popular destination for international tourists, many foreign nationals are among those injured in the blaze.<\/p>\n