Four victims identified in deadly Crans-Montana bar fire

Swiss authorities have identified the first four victims of a deadly fire that broke out at the Le Constellation bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Crans-Montana ski resort.

Regional police announced on Saturday that the victims — two teenagers aged 16, an 18-year-old, and a 21-year-old, all Swiss citizens — had been formally identified and their bodies returned to their families. Officials said the identification of additional victims and injured persons is ongoing, per Euronews.

The fire, which officials believe was caused by sparklers placed in champagne bottles, quickly turned a festive celebration into one of Switzerland’s worst recent tragedies. Of the 119 people injured, authorities have identified 113, leaving families of the remaining victims in agonising uncertainty.

“The priority today is truly placed on identification, in order to allow the families to begin their mourning,” said Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general of the Valais region.

Psychologist Elvira Venturella, who is working with affected families, described the toll of waiting for news. “It’s a wait that destroys people's stability,” she said. “The more time passes, the more difficult it becomes to accept the uncertainty of not having information.”

Family members spoke emotionally about the tragedy. Laetitia Brodard from Lausanne said she last heard from her son shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve. “I want to know where my child is and be by his side. Wherever that may be, be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue,” she told reporters.

The severity of burns has complicated identification, forcing authorities to rely on DNA samples from families. In many cases, wallets and personal documents were destroyed in the fire. Social media accounts have become central to locating missing individuals, as friends and relatives post photos and appeals for information.

By Khagan Isayev