Overview
- At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured when a New Year’s Eve blaze erupted at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana.
- Authorities have opened a criminal investigation examining multiple hypotheses, with formal forensic findings and records reviews still pending.
- Officials described a rapid flashover; witnesses reported sparklers on champagne bottles under a low ceiling and said the room was engulfed within about two minutes.
- Archived images show acoustic ceiling panels resembling polyurethane foam, a highly flammable material whose possible use is now under scrutiny.
- Reports describe a single narrow stairway as the only escape from the basement, the club’s social accounts were removed shortly after the disaster, and the owners—who renovated the venue in 2015—are said to be in shock, with Jessica Moretti treated for minor burns.