Mayor says Swiss bar where fire claimed 40 lives hadn’t been inspected in years

‘We are deeply sorry. We had no indication that the checks had not been done as requested,’ Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud told reporters

A Swiss bar, where 40 people tragically died in a New Year's fire, had not undergone annual safety inspections since 2019, the mayor of Crans-Montana ski resort revealed on Tuesday.

In addition to the 40 dead, at least 116 people were injured. The large number of victims has led to questions about whether the bar was overcrowded.

Swiss authorities have been searching for explanations for the blaze, which prosecutors have said was likely caused by sparkling candles igniting the ceiling of the bar's basement, which evidently tore through the "Le Constellation" bar in the early hours of January 1. Most of the victims were teenagers.

"We are deeply sorry. We had no indication that the checks had not been done as requested," Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud told reporters, adding that bars in the town are meant to have such inspections each year.

A video from New Year’s Eve 2019-2020 shared by Swiss broadcaster RTS showed revellers carrying similar sparklers in bottles as a waiter warns: “Watch out for the foam!”

Feraud said authorities had closed another venue run by the pair and that sparkler candles that likely triggered the blaze had now been banned inside the town's venues (Getty)

Reuters could not immediately verify the video. Feraud said his team was not aware this type of party had taken place there.

Feraud said the "Le Constellation" had passed its last inspection in 2019. The soundproof foam on its ceiling was considered acceptable at the time, and a fire alarm was not required due to the bar's size.

"These soundproof panels have never been inspected, as our safety managersapparently did not deem it necessary," Feraud said.

He said the law does not oblige authorities to verify such materials, but "the courts will have to determine whether this should have been done regardless".

Authorities are investigating the two people who ran the bar on suspicion of crimes including homicide by negligence. On Sunday, police said circumstances did not currently merit them being put under arrest, and they did not see a flight risk.

Safety teams will immediately carry out extra inspections, the mayor added (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Feraud said authorities had closed another venue run by the pair and that sparkler candles that likely triggered the blaze had now been banned inside the town's venues. Safety teams will immediately carry out extra inspections, he added.

Feraud said its maximum capacity was 200 people, with emergency exits designed to cater for 100 people on each of its two levels. He said he did not know if the downstairs exit was working that night and that investigators would determine this.

Inspections were also conducted at the bar in 2016 and 2018, authorities said. Before then, the building that houses it sat in a different municipality before Crans-Montana's creation in 2017, Feraud said.