Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Swiss investigators believe that sparkling flares placed atop Champagne bottles ignited the catastrophic fire that tore through a crowded bar at the alpine resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations, killing about 47 people and injuring at least 119 others in one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in the country’s recent history.
Authorities said Friday that early findings point to the flares being carried too close to the ceiling of Le Constellation, a packed basement bar where mostly young revelers had gathered to ring in the new year. The flames are believed to have ignited flammable materials overhead, causing the fire to spread rapidly and fill the space with thick, suffocating smoke.
The blaze broke out shortly after midnight Thursday, trapping dozens inside the venue. Police said many of the victims were teenagers and young adults in their teens and early twenties. Survivors described scenes of panic as people struggled to escape through a narrow staircase and exit while visibility collapsed within moments.
Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris who survived the fire, said he felt as though he was suffocating as smoke engulfed the bar. He managed to escape by using a table to force open a window, but one of his friends did not survive. “It all happened so fast,” he told reporters, describing how a night of celebration turned into terror.
Multiple witnesses told French and Swiss media that the fire may have started when servers brought out Champagne bottles decorated with burning sparklers. Two women who spoke to French broadcaster BFMTV said they saw a male bartender lifting a female colleague onto his shoulders as she held a bottle with a lit flare. According to their account, the flames reached the wooden ceiling, which quickly caught fire and collapsed.
Other witnesses described a sudden surge of people attempting to flee up the stairs from the basement club. Some smashed windows in desperation to escape or to let in air, while injured patrons stumbled outside with severe burns. Parents, alerted by frantic calls and messages, rushed to the scene in their cars, fearing their children were trapped inside.
Valais regional government head Mathias Reynard praised both emergency responders and ordinary citizens who acted in the first chaotic minutes. “We have numerous accounts of heroic actions, of very strong solidarity in the moment,” he said in an interview with RTS radio. He noted that before emergency services fully arrived, it was largely young people and other patrons who helped pull victims to safety, guide others out and provide first aid.
Emergency crews deployed dozens of ambulances and helicopters to transport the wounded to hospitals across Switzerland, including specialized burn centers. Medical officials said many of the injuries were severe, complicating identification efforts and prolonging the anguish of families searching for missing loved ones.
As the investigation continued, grief spread through the resort and beyond. Late Thursday, mourners placed candles and flowers near the entrance of Le Constellation, forming an impromptu memorial. Hundreds gathered at the nearby Church of Montana-Station to pray for the victims and their families.
The tragedy also drew international attention. Pope Leo sent a telegram of condolence to the bishop of Sion, offering prayers for the dead and for those suffering from physical and emotional wounds. “May the Lord welcome the deceased into His abode of peace and light,” the message said.
On social media, the human toll of the disaster became painfully visible. An Instagram account dedicated to the victims filled with photographs of young people who remained unaccounted for, as friends and relatives pleaded for information about their whereabouts.
Swiss authorities have said the investigation into the precise cause of the fire is ongoing and will include scrutiny of safety measures, the use of flares indoors and the venue’s compliance with fire regulations and capacity limits. While the preliminary findings suggest the sparklers played a key role, officials cautioned that final conclusions would take time.
For the Crans-Montana community and families across Europe, the focus remains on mourning the dead and caring for the injured. What was meant to be a joyful welcome to the new year has instead left lasting scars, raising urgent questions about safety practices in nightlife venues and the devastating consequences when celebration meets combustible risk.
