Five-Year Safety Inspection Gap Exposed in Deadly Crans-Montana Fire

Forty lives vanished in a flash, but the real tragedy lies in five years of institutional silence. Families of the victims of the New Year's Eve fire at a Swiss ski resort are in shock after learning that the venue had completely bypassed safety regulations for half a decade.

Critical Failures in the Crans-Montana Fire Safety Inspection

According to Reuters, officials admitted that Le Constellation, the bar in Crans-Montana where the fire occurred, hadn't undergone a required annual inspection since 2021. Attorney Romain Jordan, representing the families, called the oversight "staggering," questioning whether the municipality itself should face an urgent criminal probe for negligence.

Sparklers and Sound-Insulating Foam: A Lethal Combo

Prosecutors believe the blaze was ignited when sparklers attached to champagne bottles touched highly flammable sound-insulating foam on the ceiling. The resulting inferno killed 40 people and injured 116 others. Heartbreakingly, eight of the victims were under the age of 16. Many survivors are currently battling severe burns in specialized hospitals across Europe.

The bar's managers, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are currently under investigation for manslaughter and arson by negligence. While they've pledged full cooperation, the focus remains on how a prominent venue in a luxury resort could operate without a single safety check for so long under the Swiss administrative system.