Swiss authorities have concluded that a tragic fire that ripped through a popular bar in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve was likely ignited by sparklers placed atop champagne bottles. The blaze at Le Constellation bar resulted in a devastating loss of life, with at least 40 people killed and another 119 injured, many of them young revellers celebrating the start of 2026.
Official Investigation Points to Fatal Celebration
In an update on Friday, January 2, 2026, Valais Canton Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud stated that officials have analyzed video evidence and conducted numerous interviews. The preliminary investigation points to a celebratory gesture that turned catastrophic. Sparklers attached to champagne bottles were moved too close to the bar's wooden ceiling, quickly setting it ablaze in the crowded, confined space.
Witness accounts corroborate the official findings. Two women told French broadcaster BFMTV they saw a male bartender lift a female bartender onto his shoulders as she held a bottle with a lit sparkler. The flames rapidly spread, causing the ceiling to collapse and triggering panic among the hundreds inside.
A Scene of Chaos and Heroism
The fire created a scene of utter chaos. Survivor Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris, described a desperate fight for survival. "I felt as if I was suffocating," he told The Associated Press. He escaped by forcing a window open with a table, but at least one of his friends perished. Other witnesses described a terrifying crowd surge as people tried to flee a basement nightclub up a narrow staircase.
Gianni Campolo, a 19-year-old Swiss vacationer, rushed to help first responders after a friend's call. He recounted a harrowing scene of severely burned and injured people trapped on the ground. "I have seen horror and I don't know what else would be worse than this," he said to TF1.
Identifying Victims Poses Agonizing Challenge
The severity of the burns has made identifying the victims extremely difficult, prolonging the agony for families. In many cases, wallets and identification documents were completely destroyed by the intense heat. Authorities have been forced to rely on DNA samples from relatives to confirm identities.
Among the missing and presumed dead is Emanuele Galeppini, a promising 17-year-old Italian golfer who competed internationally. His family awaits DNA results, though the Italian Golf Federation has already announced his death. Italy's Foreign Minister stated that by midday Friday, 13 Italian citizens were injured and six remained missing.
The resort town of Crans-Montana, a world-class ski destination about 40 kilometres northwest of Zermatt, has been plunged into mourning. An impromptu memorial of candles and flowers grew near the charred bar, while hundreds attended a prayer service at a local church. Pope Leo sent a telegram expressing condolences for one of the worst tragedies in Switzerland's modern history.
