Swiss Investigators Say Sparklers on Champagne Bottles Caused Bar Fire
A night meant for ringing in a new beginning has ended in one of Switzerland’s darkest tragedies. What started as a joyous New Year’s Eve gathering at the Le Constellation bar in the famed ski resort of Crans-Montana turned, in moments, into an inferno that claimed 40 lives and left 119 injured. The festive spark that ignited the catastrophe, investigators now say, was tragically literal: celebratory sparklers atop Champagne bottles.
The Fatal Spark
According to official statements released Friday, the initial probe points to a devastating chain reaction. The sparkling candles, which shoot a fountain of sparks upward, are believed to have been held aloft in the crowded basement bar, coming too close to the ceiling. The flames quickly caught, and the fire raced through the venue with terrifying speed. Authorities are now examining critical questions: was the ceiling’s sound-dampening material compliant with fire regulations? Were such sparklers even permitted for use indoors? The answers will form part of an investigation that Valais’s attorney general warns could lead to prosecutions if criminal liability is found.
Faces of the Tragedy
Behind the staggering numbers are stories of shattered lives, a poignant reminder that the global community gathered in the Alps that night. The injured and missing hail from across Europe—Switzerland, France, Italy, Serbia, and beyond. Among them are teenagers on holiday, like 16-year-old Arthur Brodard from Lausanne. His mother, Laetitia, stood in Crans-Montana, holding onto “a glimmer of hope” that her son might be among the unidentified injured, while bracing for the worst. “I want to know, where is my child,” she pleaded.
The grief is personal and vast. An Italian teenage golf champion, Emanuele Galeppini, is among the missing, his family awaiting DNA results. A French teenager brought tulips to a hospital in Sion for her 17-year-old best friend, who lies severely burned and sedated. On social media, accounts have become digital bulletin boards of despair, filled with photos of the missing and desperate pleas for information.
Heroism in the Horror
Amid the horror emerged profound courage. Survivors and officials alike recount acts of raw bravery in those first, chaotic minutes. Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris, escaped by forcing a window open with a table. He spoke of friends lost and still missing. Fourteen-year-old Marc-Antoine Chavanon helped pull people from the blaze, witnessing unimaginable pain. “People were collapsing. We were doing everything we could to save them,” he recounted.
Regional official Mathias Reynard lauded these “heroic actions,” noting that before emergency crews could arrive, it was largely young people—guests themselves—who saved lives through sheer courage and solidarity. Their quick thinking stood in stark contrast to the scenes of panic described by others: a crush at a narrow door, smashed windows, parents frantically racing to the scene, and the haunting image of victims with burns so severe that identification required DNA samples.
A Resort in Mourning
The picturesque resort of Crans-Montana, known for its world-class ski slopes and the prestigious European Masters golf tournament, is now a landscape of mourning. An impromptu memorial of candles and flowers grows near the charred remains of Le Constellation. Hundreds gathered to pray at the local church, seeking solace in shared sorrow.
As the investigation continues to scrutinize safety measures—from fire extinguishers to escape routes—the community and the world are left to grapple with a painful truth. A symbol of celebration, a bottle of Champagne adorned with light, became the source of an unbearable darkness. The coming days will be for answers and accountability, but for the families from Lausanne to Paris, from Italy to Serbia, this new year begins with a long, cold search for closure, and the memory of a night when joy turned to ash.
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