EditAll victims of deadly Crans-Montana bar fire identified, Swiss police say
Questions are arising over potential safety violations including inadequate exits, insufficient fire suppression systems, and possible overcrowding
Swiss police announced on Saturday that all 40 victims of the devastating New Year’s Eve fire at the Le Constellation bar in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana have been identified, bringing a sombre close to days of forensic efforts complicated by severe burns.
The blaze, which erupted during a packed party early on 1 January, killed 40 people – 26 of them teenagers – and injured more than 100, many with life-threatening burns. Victims ranged in age from 14 to 39, with the youngest being a 14-year-old Swiss girl and a 14-year-old French boy.
Nationalities among the dead included 21 Swiss, seven French, and six Italian citizens, along with others from Romania, Turkey, Portugal, Belgium, one Swiss-French dual national, and a 15-year-old girl holding French, Israeli, and British citizenship. The final 16 identifications, completed on January 4, included several teenagers from these groups.
While Swiss authorities have not publicly released the names of most victims to respect families’ privacy, Italy has disclosed the identities of its six nationals killed in the tragedy. They are 16-year-old Giovanni Tamburi from Bologna, 16-year-old Achille Barosi from Milan, 17-year-old Emanuele Galeppini – a promising junior golfer from Genoa living in Dubai – 16-year-old Chiara Costanzo from Milan, and two additional teenage girls aged 15 and 16, along with Sofia Prosperi, who resided in Lugano.
Prosecutors believe the fire was sparked by fountain-style sparklers on champagne bottles held too close to the ceiling, igniting flammable materials rapidly. Two bar operators are under criminal investigation for negligent homicide, bodily harm, and causing a fire, though they are not in custody.
The disaster has prompted widespread grief in Switzerland, with President Guy Parmelin declaring a national day of mourning featuring church bells and a minute of silence. Hundreds joined a silent procession in Crans-Montana on Saturday, laying flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the sealed-off bar.
Dozens of the injured have been transferred to specialized burn units in Switzerland and neighboring countries, including Italy, France, Germany, and Belgium. Pope Leo XIV sent condolences, expressing compassion for the victims’ families amid global tributes.
The owners and managers of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are under criminal investigation by Valais cantonal prosecutors on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson. Questions are arising over potential safety violations including inadequate exits from the basement venue, insufficient fire suppression systems, and possible overcrowding beyond the bar’s 300-person capacity.
While the Morettis have stated they are cooperating fully with investigators and insisted that the venue complied with regulations after multiple inspections, the probe is examining whether negligence in allowing the use of pyrotechnics, material choices during renovations, or other lapses contributed to the tragedy’s devastating scale.
With agencies.
Caption: Mourners gather around flowers and candles to commemorate the victims of the fire at the “Le Constellation” bar and lounge, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, 04 January 2026. At least 40 people lost their lives and over 100 were severely injured in the fire that devastated the bar ‘Le Constellation’ on New Year’s Eve in the Swiss Alps resort of Crans-Montana. EPA/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT
Updated: January 5, 2026 - 07:49
