Authorities have reported that a blaze at a bar in a Swiss skiing destination seems to have been ignited by sparklers placed on champagne bottles that were “too close to the ceiling”.

In the early morning of New Year’s Day in Crans-Montana, forty individuals lost their lives in the fire, with 119 others sustaining injuries.

At a press briefing on Friday, Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud indicated that the inquiry would examine the materials present at the site, the fire safety protocols of the bar, its capacity, and the total number of patrons inside during the incident.

The investigation will look into the need for any legal actions. “If that becomes necessary and if those involved are still living, charges will be filed against them,” she stated.

Ms. Pilloud conveyed at the conference, “All evidence suggests that the fire ignited from sparkling candles – or sparklers – that were placed on champagne bottles which were moved too near to the ceiling, resulting in a rapid outbreak of flames.”

Reports indicate that one of the bar’s proprietors informed local media that the venue had undergone inspections thrice within the last decade and had adhered to all necessary regulations.

Officials are currently engaged in the process of formally identifying the 40 victims of the fire, with police commander Frédéric Gisler noting, “that is our priority”.

Numerous individuals injured in the inferno remain in critical condition and “are still battling to survive”, stated Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais region.

Of the injured, 113 have been officially identified, according to Gisler. This tally includes 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French nationals, and 11 Italians, alongside four Serbs among others.

The identification process for six additional individuals is still underway, he mentioned, emphasizing that these numbers might fluctuate.

Reynard remarked that about 50 of those injured “have been or will soon be transferred to specialized burn centers in European nations”.

Included among the injured was 19-year-old French football player Tahirys Dos Santos, as noted in a report from his football team, FC Mertz.

The club reported that Dos Santos was “severely burned” during the fire and has been airlifted to Germany for medical care.

Families of the missing in the fire were still anxiously seeking updates from authorities late Friday evening.

Italian national Achille Barosi, 16, is among the missing, having entered the bar at 01:30 local time on New Year’s Day to retrieve his jacket and phone. His family has not heard from him since.

“We are uncertain if he is still alive,” his aunt Francesca shared with the BBC World Service’s OS programme. She described her nephew as a talented painter who had enrolled in an art school in Milan.

During the Friday press conference, officials stated they were utilizing a technique called “Disaster Victim Identification” to name the deceased, involving a team of forensic specialists, medical doctors, dentists, and investigators who compile data to establish identities.

Ms. Pilloud later indicated at the conference that the investigation would also consider if the bar’s ceiling met construction regulations.

She noted that investigators were assessing the foam installation in the ceiling, stating that it was currently uncertain whether the foam adhered to regulations or was installed with authorization.

“It’s crucial that we don’t jump to conclusions… please allow us to carry out our work,” she urged.

She reported that the two French managers of the bar had been interviewed, along with patrons who escaped the flames.

Ms. Pilloud added that these interviews had aided them in creating a list of individuals present during the event.

Officials also acknowledged that there was more than one exit from the bar, but stated they “are not currently in a position to confirm” whether the emergency exit was secured or accessible at that moment.

Lea Zehnder, 22, celebrated New Year’s in a nearby bar visible from Le Constellation.

She recounted hearing screams emanating from Le Constellation and shared that her boyfriend assisted individuals with severe burn injuries.

“They were unable to walk or communicate,” she stated.

In the meantime, Tristan Fischer, 20, shared with the BBC that his 17-year-old brother broke windows and helped rescue people as the fire escalated.

He expressed concern that the traumatic event might have lasting effects on his brother’s mental well-being: “He hasn’t communicated effectively, nor has he been able to sleep properly since.”

Le Constellation is a sizable bar that has been in operation for several years.

It has the capacity to accommodate up to 300 individuals and also features a small terrace, though the exact number of patrons present during the fire is unknown.

On Friday, numerous tearful families and adolescents gathered near the police barrier surrounding the bar.

Some laid down bouquets and candles, while others attached messages to a makeshift memorial.

White tents shielded the entrances and exits of the area.

Just outside the town, a conference hall is being utilized to provide assistance to the families of those unaccounted for.

A commemoration will take place in Crans-Montana on January 9 to allow people to gather for a moment of “national mourning”.

Families of the teens who have gone missing following a fire in a bar at a skiing destination in Switzerland are enduring a painful wait for updates and are urging for any information on their loved ones via social media.

Officials from Switzerland indicated during a press briefing on Friday that the Crans-Montana blaze was probably ignited by sparklers placed on champagne bottles that were “too near the ceiling.”

The inquiry into the fire will examine the materials utilized at the location, the bar’s fire safety protocols, its capacity limits, and the number of individuals present during the incident, stated Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud.

Swiss officials mentioned that it may take days, or potentially weeks, to identify the casualties from the fire that resulted in 40 fatalities and injured 119 others. Authorities noted that 113 of the injured have been recognized, while the identification of six remains ongoing.

In the interim, relatives and companions have been utilizing social media platforms to seek information regarding their loved ones who attended the bar that evening.

The location of Swiss citizen Arthur Brodard, aged 16, remains unknown, as per his mother Laetitia.

“I need to locate my son… it has been 30 hours since he vanished,” she reported to the BBC, expressing her wish for his image to “be circulated everywhere so that, hopefully, someone can recognize him and contact me.”

Ms. Brodard mentioned that she and Arthur’s father have been visiting hospitals in Lausanne and Bern but have not found him, earlier communicating to local paper Le Temps that she was “living a nightmare.”

She added that some of his companions have been discovered with severe burns covering nearly half their bodies. “Words fail me – they have experienced hell.”

Another Italian national who is currently unaccounted for is Achille Osvaldo Giovanni Barosi, 16, who entered the bar at 01:30 local time on New Year’s Day to collect his jacket and phone. His family has not received any news of him since that time.

“We are unaware if he is still alive,” his aunt Francesca conveyed to the BBC World Service’s OS programme.

Describing her nephew, who is a student at an art school in Milan, she called him a talented artist and a beautiful boy.

“We simply want to locate him, nothing more.”

The Italian foreign ministry announced that six of its citizens remain unaccounted for.

Included among those missing is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer originally from Genoa but currently residing in Dubai.

The Italian Golf Federation has announced his death but did not specify the circumstances, honoring a “young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values.”

His father, Edoardo, stated to Italian broadcaster TG24 that his son was present in the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An official from the Italian foreign ministry informed the BBC that they have not yet confirmed his death.

Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is also among those missing. His mother Carla Masiello, from Bologna, informed La Repubblica that he was on vacation with his father but went out with friends and ended up at La Constellation.

“A close friend of his told me they fled after the fire started, mentioning he was with his phone, but eventually, he could no longer see him,” she revealed to the newspaper, noting he wore a gold chain with a small Madonna necklace.

Tania Causio, one of his instructors at Porta Saragozza High School, remarked to La Repubblica: “I have always been impressed by his kindness and smile, along with his great maturity. Every time I enter the class, he asks if I want him to fetch me a coffee.”

Reported missing by her family is Emilie Pralong, 22, who is believed to have been at Le Constellation with several friends who are also unaccounted for.

Her grandfather, Pierre, conveyed the “agonizing” wait for updates, stating to French broadcaster BFMTV: “We maintain hope – we are filled with hope. It aids in enduring whatever the hardship.”

While harboring hopes that she might appear relatively unharmed in a hospital, he stated: “We must prepare ourselves for the possibility of a more severe reality. We cannot fantasize; we must be pragmatic in light of a tragedy like this.”

Alice Kallergis, possessing both Greek and Swiss nationality but residing primarily in Switzerland, was also present at the bar on New Year’s Eve, as reported by sources and Greek media.

Her brother has made an appeal on Instagram, indicating that the family has had “no updates” concerning the 15-year-old or the three friends accompanying her, who are also reported missing.

Greek consular representatives state they are actively monitoring the situation.

Additional reporting by Nikos Papanikolaou and Isabella Bull