Champagne sparklers linked to devastating Swiss bar fire

International

A SPARK meant for celebration may have sparked catastrophe.

Sparklers on champagne bottles are believed to have set off a deadly New Year’s Day fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, killing 40 people and injuring 119.

Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said the blaze likely began when sparklers on champagne bottles came too close to the ceiling, igniting a fire that spread rapidly. “Everything leads us to think that the fire started from sparkling candles - or sparklers - which were put on bottles of champagne [that were] moved too close to the ceiling. From that, a blaze began very quickly,” she said in a BBC report.

The investigation is examining the materials used in the bar, fire safety measures, building capacity, and the number of people inside at the time.

Pilloud said authorities would determine whether prosecutions are necessary and are also reviewing whether the ceiling complied with building regulations, including the installation of foam. She cautioned that it is too early to know if the foam met standards or was installed with authorization.

One of the bar’s owners told local media the establishment had been inspected three times in the past ten years and that all regulations had been followed.

Police and emergency officials are still working to formally identify the 40 victims.

Police commander Frédéric Gisler said, “that is our priority.” He reported that 113 of the injured had been identified, including 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French, 11 Italians, and four Serbs, with six more still undergoing formal identification.

Many of the injured remain in critical condition, and Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais region, said they are still fighting to survive.

Around 50 are being transferred to specialized burn centers across Europe, including 19-year-old French footballer Tahirys Dos Santos, who suffered severe burns and has been airlifted to Germany for treatment.(MyTVCebu)