Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal case against the ski resort managers following a fatal fire

Swiss authorities are conducting an investigation into French bar managers following a fire on New Year’s Eve that resulted in the deaths of 40 individuals in Crans-Montana.

Swiss prosecutors have announced that the French managers of a bar, where a tragic fire resulted in the deaths of 40 individuals, are now under criminal investigation.

Officials have reported that the fire at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve resulted in injuries to 119 individuals. As numerous injured individuals have been identified, families are now enduring a painful wait for updates regarding those who remain unaccounted for.

According to police reports, the bodies of two Swiss women, aged 21 and 16, along with two Swiss men, aged 18 and 16, were the first to be identified and returned to their families.

A preliminary investigation suggests that the fire likely started due to sparklers on champagne bottles being carried too close to the ceiling. The prosecutors’ office in the canton of Valais stated on Saturday afternoon that the French managers of Le Constellation are suspected of committing homicide by negligence, causing bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence.

Guy Parmelin, the President of Switzerland, referred to it as “one of the worst tragedies” the nation has faced.

Additional information regarding the identified victims, such as their names, has yet to be disclosed.

On Friday, authorities reported that 113 of the injured have been identified, comprising 71 Swiss, 14 French, and 11 Italian citizens.

Many teenagers are among the dead and missing. Le Constellation was a venue recognized for its appeal to a younger audience in the ski resort town, where the legal drinking age is 16.

A teenage golfer from Italy has been identified as the first fatality, although officials from Switzerland and Italy have yet to verify this information.

Flowers, plush toys, and heartfelt messages of love and hope are gathered outside the police barriers near the bar.

On Saturday, families were directed to a conference centre located just outside Crans. Members of the Italian Civil Protection team engaged with individuals at the location, accompanied by Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado.

Ambassador Cornado stated that the identification process was ongoing on Saturday and is expected to be finished by Sunday afternoon.

The ambassador noted that the slow process is due to the severity of the burns endured by many of the victims.