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Crans-Montana Fire Inquiry: Safety Chiefs Say Leaders Knew Inspections Had Lapsed for Years

Testimony describes staff shortages after a municipal hiring freeze that left inspectors focusing on hospitals before venues like the Constellation bar.

Overview

  • Audition transcripts report no fire-safety check at Le Constellation since 2019 despite annual inspection requirements under Swiss rules.
  • Current and former fire-safety heads say they repeatedly warned political leaders, including commune president Nicolas Féraud, about understaffing and missed controls.
  • Christophe Balet cites a January 2025 'Personal Stop' hiring freeze and says five to six additional staff would be needed to meet yearly inspection mandates.
  • Officials acknowledge they were not trained to flag highly flammable acoustic foam before January 7, after which the canton issued new instructions.
  • Several victims have filed complaints seeking accountability from Féraud, while a furniture supplier who emailed police about rejected fire-retardant options in 2015 says he has not been questioned and has lodged a complaint against a civil-party lawyer.