Swiss authorities have identified the first four victims of the devastating New Year's Eve fire at the La Constellation nightclub in Crans-Montana, which claimed at least 40 lives. The process of naming the deceased is proving to be a slow and painstaking task for investigators.
Young Lives Lost in the Blaze
The first bodies to be formally identified and returned to their families belong to two women, aged 21 and 16, and two men, aged 18 and 16. All four were Swiss nationals. Their identification marks a sombre milestone in the aftermath of the tragedy that also left 119 people injured.
Many individuals remain unaccounted for, and the official death toll is not yet final. Six of the injured, suffering from severe third-degree burns, are also still unidentified. The scale of the disaster has overwhelmed local resources, with a team of more than 30 specialists engaged in the identification process.
A Complex and Heartbreaking Investigation
Due to the intensity of the fire, forensic experts are having to use advanced methods to put names to the victims. Investigators are relying on DNA analysis, dental records, unique body features like tattoos, and personal items carried at the time.
Beatrice Pilloud, the attorney general for the Valais region, stressed that the priority is to identify all the bodies. "The first objective is to assign names to all the bodies," said Crans-Montana’s mayor, Nicolas Feraud, echoing the sentiment. This, officials say, is crucial so that families can begin their grieving process.
The club's owners, Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40, have been questioned by police and face preliminary manslaughter charges. In his first public statement, Mr Moretti insisted that "everything had been done according to regulation" and vowed to help clarify the causes of the fire.
Searching for the Cause
The criminal investigation is examining multiple factors. Prosecutors currently believe the blaze started from sparklers attached to champagne bottles, which then ignited the ceiling. A key focus is the acoustic foam insulation attached to the ceiling, which video footage shows catching fire and spreading rapidly across the room.
Images from the owners' social media show them renovating the bar and adding the foam as a final layer. The investigation is also scrutinising the materials used, the functionality of emergency exits, the availability of fire extinguishers, and whether the bar was over its occupancy limit.
Ms Pilloud confirmed that while it is still unclear if criminal charges will be filed, an investigation for negligent homicide is a possibility. As the community reels, the meticulous work to identify every victim and establish the full chain of events continues.
