Swiss media have published previously unseen video footage documenting the beginning of the tragic fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana. The video material clearly shows that the cause of the disaster was a pyrotechnic flare placed on a bottle of alcohol. Sparks from the flare instantly ignited flammable foam on the ceiling of the venue, leading to the deaths of dozens of people during a New Year's Eve celebration.

Release of video footage

CCTV and phone recordings show the moment the ceiling ignited from a pyrotechnic flare.

Confirmation of the tragedy's cause

The direct cause of the fire was the contact of sparks with flammable acoustic foam.

Casualty and injury toll

43 people died in the disaster, and 116 were injured, mostly young tourists.

Footage revealed by investigators sheds new light on the course of the disaster at the Le Constellation bar. The video shows staff carrying bottles of alcohol with lit pyrotechnic flares during a traditional display for guests. At the critical moment of the procession, sparks from one of the flares touch the ceiling lined with polyurethane acoustic foam. The fire spreads at a staggering speed, going from a small ignition point to completely engulfing the ceiling in just a few seconds. The footage confirms that guests and staff had extremely little time to escape from the underground hall. The installation of flammable acoustic materials has been the cause of many tragic nightclub fires in history, including in Santa Maria, Brazil in 2013 and in Bucharest in 2015. In most of these cases, it was indoor pyrotechnics that ignited materials lacking proper fire safety certificates.As a result of the tragedy, 43 people lost their lives and over a hundred were injured. The public prosecutor's office in the canton of Valais is currently focused on determining why such dangerous finishing materials were used in the venue and whether the pyrotechnic display was conducted in accordance with regulations. „Il video inedito dell'inizio della strage: la fiamma dalla bottiglia alla schiuma sul tetto. E parte l'incendio.” (The unpublished video of the start of the massacre: the flame from the bottle to the foam on the roof. And the fire starts.) — Il Messaggero The Crans-Montana community is grappling with the trauma after the accident, which destroyed the reputation of one of Europe's most prestigious ski resorts. Deutsche Welle describes the difficult process of returning to normalcy and the long-term recovery of the injured, who often require complex plastic surgeries and psychological assistance. 43 ofiary — claimed by the New Year's Eve fire in Switzerland Interviews are currently being conducted with bar and hotel owners in the region, and supervisory services are checking fire safety systems in other establishments. Local authorities have announced stricter penalties for the use of open fire in enclosed public spaces. The investigation is also to clarify whether escape routes were clear and properly marked at the moment panic broke out among hundreds of revelers.