More Victims of New Year’s Eve Swiss Bar Fire Identified

 Swiss authorities have identified 16 more victims who died in a tragic fire at the Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations. This brings the total number of victims identified so far to 24 out of about 40 people confirmed dead in one of Switzerland’s worst recent disasters. �

Anadolu Ajansı +1

According to police, the newly identified victims include:

Four Swiss women (aged 14, 18, and two 15-year-olds),

Six Swiss men (aged 31, 20, 18, 17, and two 16-year-olds),

Two 16-year-old Italians,

One dual national (Italy and UAE) aged 16,

One 18-year-old Romanian,

One 39-year-old Frenchman, and

One 18-year-old Turkish man. �

Anadolu Ajansı

Many of the victims were teenagers or young adults, with nine under 18 years old. The youngest identified so far was a 14-year-old Swiss girl. �

Yahoo News

The fire broke out at around 1:30 a.m. local time as hundreds of people were celebrating New Year’s. Preliminary investigations suggest it may have been triggered when sparklers on champagne bottles ignited the ceiling, causing the blaze to spread rapidly. �

Yahoo News

In addition to the fatalities, 119 people were injured, many with severe burns, and are being treated in hospitals across Switzerland and neighbouring countries. Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the bar’s management on suspicion of negligent homicide, bodily harm, and causing a fire. �

The Star

Communities across Switzerland and abroad are mourning as families continue to search for missing loved ones and await further identification results.