Swiss bar had no safety checks for five years before deadly fire: Mayor

No fire safety checks had been carried out for five years at the bar where a massive blaze killed 40 people in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, the mayor said on Tuesday, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

There were no inspections between 2020 and 2025, Crans-Montana mayor Nicolas Féraud said. In 2025, only an acoustic assessment was conducted, with no issues reported, he added.

An acoustic assessment refers to an evaluation of sound levels, noise, or vibration in a building space.

“We deeply regret this,” Féraud said. During inspections in 2019 and earlier, the insulation material on the ceiling was never identified as an issue, he said.

The operating licence for a second restaurant run by the same owners in Crans-Montana has now been withdrawn.

Investigators believe the disaster at the popular Le Constellation bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations was triggered by a party sparkler that set fire to foam insulation on the ceiling. The blaze quickly tore through the crowded bar, trapping many of the revellers inside.

In addition to the 40 fatalities, 116 people were injured, most of them seriously. Many of the burn victims are now being treated abroad.

- Bernama

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