The prosecutor in the Swiss canton of Valais stated on the 2nd that initial findings have determined that the fire at the "Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana in the early hours of the 1st was caused by a firework sparkler placed on a bottle of champagne.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Valais cantonal government held a press conference that afternoon. The prosecutor explained that the blaze is currently believed to have been triggered by a firework sparkler placed on a bottle of champagne; because it was too close to the ceiling, the flames spread rapidly and eventually caused a major fire.
The prosecutor said that, based on the testimonies of survivors and two bar staff, investigators had obtained a preliminary list of those present, but it is still not possible to confirm exactly how many people were inside the bar when the fire broke out.
Nationality of 14 Injured Unknown
Police reported that a total of 119 people were injured, including 71 Swiss, 14 French, 11 Italian, 4 Serbian, and 1 each from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Poland, Belgium, and Portugal, with another 14 people whose nationalities are unknown. Among them, the identities of 113 have been confirmed.
Rescue authorities indicated that they are closely coordinating the transfer of injured victims to other regions within Switzerland and neighboring countries, aiming to transfer 50 people by the 4th of this month.
The number of reported fatalities remains at 40, and identification could take several days or even weeks. Valais officials noted that, as 80 to 100 of the injured are in critical condition, the death toll may continue to rise.