A tragic New Year’s Eve bar fire at the Swiss mountain resort of Crans-Montana has resulted in the deaths of 40 people, one of the worst disasters in recent Swiss history. Following a painstaking forensic process due to the horrific burns sustained by most victims, investigators have now formally identified all 40 deceased individuals. The identification efforts were carried out by the Valais Cantonal Police, the Disaster Victim Identification team, and the Institute of Legal Medicine.

The victims spanned various nationalities and ages, with a significant number being teenagers. More than half of the fatalities were under 18 years old, including two 14-year-olds—a French boy and a Swiss girl—making them the youngest victims. Among the last 16 victims identified was Charlotte Niddam, a 15-year-old former pupil at Immanuel College in Hertfordshire, who held French, British, and Israeli nationalities. Her family announced her passing with great sadness, expecting her funeral to take place in Paris. Charlotte had been working as a babysitter in the area. Other victims in the final group of identifications included two Swiss girls aged 15, a Swiss woman aged 22, a Swiss and French woman aged 24, two Italian girls aged 16 and 15, an Italian boy aged 16, a 22-year-old Portuguese woman, a 17-year-old Belgian girl, two French women aged 33 and 26, two French men aged 23 and 20, and two French teenage boys aged 17 and 14. Previously identified victims included 10 Swiss nationals, two Italians, one person with Italian-Emirati citizenship, one Romanian, one person from France, and one from Turkey. Specific victims named include 16-year-old Swiss boy Arthur Brodard, whose mother expressed profound grief on social media, and Italian victims Achille Barosi (16), Giovanni Tamburi (16), and Emanuele Galeppini (17), the latter holding dual Italian-UAE citizenship.

Investigators believe the fire, which broke out at Le Constellation bar around 1:30 am on New Year’s Day, started when sparkling candles were held too close to the sound-dampening material on the ceiling of the venue’s basement level. The candles, commonly used for parties, ignited the foam soundproofing, quickly engulfing the packed bar in flames. A dramatic video captured the moment the ceiling caught fire, with some revelers initially unaware of the extreme danger. Two people who ran the bar are now under criminal investigation on suspicion of offenses including homicide by negligence, involuntary bodily harm, and involuntarily causing a fire. Authorities are scrutinizing whether the sound-dampening material conformed to regulations, if the candles were permitted, and the overall safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.

In addition to the fatalities, 119 people were injured, many suffering disfiguring wounds. Several injured victims had to be transferred to burns units in hospitals across Europe due to Switzerland’s overwhelmed clinics. The severity of the victims' burns necessitated the use of DNA samples and dental records for identification.

The tragedy has deeply affected the Crans-Montana community and garnered international attention. Hundreds joined a silent procession through the upmarket resort town to honor the victims. After a service at the Chapelle St-Christophe, mourners filed silently out to organ music, exchanging hugs and applause for dozens of police and emergency services workers celebrated as heroes. A makeshift memorial piled with flowers, cuddly toys, and other tributes marked the site of the disaster. Véronique Barras, a local resident, emphasized the importance of humanity and mutual support during this tragic event. Paola Ponti Greppi, an 80-year-old Italian resident, called for better safety checks in bars, questioning local authorities’ oversight. During a memorial mass, Bishop Jean-Marie Lovey noted the outpouring of condolences from around the world, including from the Pope, and Reverend Gilles Cavin spoke of the