Crans-Montana ski bar fire safety check neglected for five years before deadly blaze

Forty lives were lost in a venue that hadn't seen a safety inspector in half a decade. The Swiss bar where a New Year's tragedy killed 40 people and injured 116 others had not undergone any official safety checks for five years, local authorities admitted on Tuesday.

Five Years of Silence: The Crans-Montana ski bar fire safety Gap

Nicolas Feraud, the Mayor of Crans-Montana, told a press conference he couldn't explain why the 'La Constellation' bar had been overlooked for so long. While expressing deep regret to the victims' families, Feraud stated he has no intention of resigning. In immediate response, local authorities have banned the use of sparklers—believed to be the fire's catalyst—in all local venues.

Administrative Strain and the 10,000-Building Challenge

Feraud highlighted a severe shortage of resources as a contributing factor. Following a merger of four village councils in 2016, a small team of just five people was left responsible for inspecting more than 10,000 buildings. This administrative bottleneck left high-risk nightlife spots like La Constellation in a dangerous blind spot for years.