An 18-year-old Swiss young man, who passed away on Saturday, is the 41st person to lose their life due to the fire that occurred in a bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on New Year’s night, local judicial authorities announced on Sunday, as reported by AFP.
„An 18-year-old Swiss citizen passed away at the Zurich hospital on January 31,” announced the public prosecutor of the Valais canton, in a statement sent to AFP.
"The death toll from the fire at the Le Constellation bar on January 1, 2026, has now risen to 41 deceased individuals," the mentioned source added.
The previous toll indicated by the authorities was 40 dead and 116 injured. Several dozen of the injured, many in serious condition, are still hospitalized in Switzerland, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium.
The fire at the "Le Constellation" bar, whose victims were mainly teenagers and young adults, was caused, according to the investigation, by fireworks that ignited the soundproofing foam isolating the ceiling of the bar's basement.
The investigation should clarify the exact circumstances of the fire, the owners' compliance with regulations, and the various responsibilities.
As owners of the establishment, French spouses Jacques and Jessica Moretti are the subject of a criminal investigation for "manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and fire by negligence."
Since Wednesday, the criminal investigation also targets two security officials from the Crans-Montana municipality, which recently admitted that no security and fire inspections had been carried out at the "Le Constellation" bar since 2019.