Industry News
The first 24 victims of the devastating New Year’s Eve fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, have now been formally identified and returned to their families. The fire had broken out at 1:30 a.m. on January 1 in a basement bar full of young guests in the ski resort village, killing 40 people and injuring 119. Identification of the victims has been slow as it requires extensive forensic analysis, relying in many cases on DNA analysis and dental record matches.
The Valais/Wallis cantonal police confirmed that, following this intensive identification efforts, the bodies of 24 victims have been handed over to their relatives. The victims that have been identified as:
- 8 Swiss women/female youths (aged 14, 15, 15, 16, 18, 21, 22, and 24),
- 10 Swiss men/male youths (aged 16, 16, 16, 17, 18, 18, 18, 20, 21, and 31),
- 2 Italians aged 16,
- 1 Italian-Emirati national aged 16,
- 1 Romanian aged 18,
- 1 French aged 39,
- 1 Turkish national aged 18 years.
The identifications were made possible through extensive work carried out over the past several hours by the Valais/Wallis cantonal police, Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) specialists, and the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Authorities described the process as meticulous and demanding, reflecting both the scale of the tragedy and the care required to ensure absolute certainty. With these procedures completed, the four families have been able to begin the process of mourning and laying their loved ones to rest.
Investigations and identification procedures continue for the remaining victims, both deceased and injured. The Valais cantonal police said efforts remain ongoing and intensive, and that further information will be communicated as soon as it becomes available.
Out of respect for the families and loved ones affected, authorities emphasized that no additional details about the victims will be released at this time.
Cans-Montana’s Managing Director, Pete Petrovski, issued a statement in which he expressed the resort’s profound sadness about the tragic fire in Crans-Montana. “Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We are focused on caring for our employees, community and guests at this time. We are in contact with the local authorities and stand ready to support their efforts in any appropriate way.” The bar is not owned or operated by Crans-Montana Ski Resort or Vail Resorts, but the resort decided to cancel all Après activities at Zerodix, an establishment the resort owns nearby. In addition, the resort graciously asks guests to ski with care, as local hospitals are at capacity.
