Le Constellation nightclub, the site of the deadly fire that killed around 40 people and injured hundreds more during a New Year’s Eve celebration, hadn’t undergone fire safety inspections since 2019, local authorities announced on Tuesday (January 6) via the Associated Press.
Investigators have said that they believe the fire was caused by sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles coming too close to the ceiling and are probing whether soundproofing material on the bar’s ceiling at the time met regulations, as well as whether the candles were permitted for use. Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the bar managers, with two suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire, according to the Valais region’s chief prosecutor.
Regional authorities said that safety inspections are the responsibility of the municipality, which said inspections of Le Constellation last took place in 2016, 2018 and 2019 and acknowledged that modifications had been requested, though potential issues with soundproofing measures hadn’t been raised. The council found that “periodic checks were not carried out between 2020 and 2025” while observing documents after the fire took place, Nicolas Féraud, the head of Crans-Montana’s municipal government, confirmed during a news conference.
“We regret this bitterly,” he said, claiming that it will be up to judicial authorities to determine whether that had an influence on the deadly fire breaking out.
Crans-Montana is a historic venue on the professional skiing circuit having hosted the 1987 FIS World Alpine Skiing Championships, which debuted the super-G discipline to the world championships, and is scheduled to host the world championships in February 2027. The venue is also the home of the Omega European Masters golf tournament on the DP World Tour.
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