Image shows moment Swiss bar ceiling catches firepublished at 12:05 GMT
12:05 GMT
Richard Irvine-Brown
BBC Verify journalist
Image source, Supplied
BBC Verify has verified two photos showing lit sparklers attached to bottles inside Le Constellation nightclub in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, shared online with claims they were taken around the start of the fire on New Year’s Eve.
One image shows people holding several bottles in the air with lit sparklers attached and what appears to be a fire on the ceiling.
We searched for previous versions of this image online and no copies existed before yesterday.
There are several details in the photograph which match older photos of the interior of the nightclub, including the bar, the wall decor and the pipework.
We ran the photo through four AI-detection tools, none of which detected AI manipulation but one said the image had been edited.
Running it through a digital manipulation tool showed no evidence of manipulation.
Image source, Supplied
The second image we looked at shows someone in a sleeveless black dress and crash helmet holding a bottle with a lit sparkler attached, on the shoulders of someone wearing a mask.
We searched for previous versions online and no copies existed before yesterday.
Parts of a neon sign for Le Constel can be seen in the background, consistent with older photos from the club.
The image has been run through three AI detection tools, none of which detected AI manipulation but one said the photo was edited. Running it through a digital manipulation tool showed no evidence of manipulation.