The cause of the deadly fire at a Swiss ski resort was sparklers on champagne bottles that were too close to the ceiling of a bar packed with revelers on New Year's Eve. This assumption was voiced by investigators, UNN reports with reference to AP.
Details
Authorities plan to check whether the soundproofing material on the ceiling met standards and whether sparklers are allowed in the bar.
According to officials, the sparklers were of the same type commonly used at parties.
Add
The fire, which raged early in the morning at the lively Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort, killed 40 people and injured 119 others, authorities said. This is one of the worst tragedies in Swiss history.
According to police, many of the injured were between 10 and 25 years old.
Officials said they would also check other safety measures in the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.
Béatrice Pilloud, the Attorney General of the Valais region, warned of possible prosecution if criminal liability is established.
According to Frédéric Gysler, commander of the Valais regional police, among the victims are 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French citizens, and 11 Italian citizens, as well as citizens of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. The nationality of 14 people has not yet been established.