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Hundreds of people marched in silence on Sunday to honor the victims of New Year’s Eve bonfire in a bar in the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, which left 40 dead and many seriously injured.
Mourners, many with reddened eyes, filed silently from the chapel to the sound of organ music after the hour-long mass at the Chapelle Saint-Christophe in Crans-Montana. Some exchanged hugs, others applauded, before joining the silent march up the hill to the Constellation bar.
Several hundred people, some holding bouquets of flowers, walked in the dense procession of snakes under the sunlight in front of closed stores. On the mountain overlooking the city, snow machines sent plumes of white flakes into the air.
Up the street, in front of the Constellation still largely obscured by white screens, the growing crowd stood in near silence, some crying. Then they erupted into sustained applause — hands in gloves and mittens to protect against the cold — as a stream of mourners and well-wishers laid bouquets of flowers at a makeshift memorial filled with flowers, stuffed animals and other tributes.
“They went there to party”
“Through this tragic event, I believe that we must all remember that we are all brothers and sisters in humanity,” said Véronique Barras, a neighborhood resident who knows grieving families. “It’s important to support each other, embrace each other and move towards the light.”
Cathy Premer said her daughter was out celebrating her 17th birthday on Dec. 31 when she called early in the morning to say she was stranded because The Constellation has been sealed off. “For young people – but even for adults – it is difficult to understand things that seem inexplicable,” she said. “They went there to party, it’s a destination for December 31, it’s very festive, there were people of all nationalities… and everything turned into tragedy.”
In the crowd, Paola Ponti Greppi, an 80-year-old Italian who owns a house in Crans-Montana, called for security checks in bars. “We need more security in these places because this is not the only place like this. Why didn’t the city do the proper checks? To me, it’s terrible.”
During the mass, Father Gilles Cavin spoke of the “terrible uncertainty” for families who do not know if their loved ones are among the dead or still alive among the injured. “There are no words strong enough to express the dismay, anguish and anger of those affected in their lives today. And yet, we are here, gathered because silence alone is not enough,” he said.
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In the crowded pews, a grieving woman listened attentively, hands clasped tightly and sometimes clutching rosaries, as speakers gave readings in German, French and Italian.
Forty people died and 119 were injured in the fire which broke out around 1:30 a.m. Thursday at the Constellation bar. Police said many of the victims were aged in their 20s.
As of Sunday morning, Swiss authorities identified 24 of the 40 dead. Among them are 18 Swiss citizens aged 14 to 31, two Italians aged 16, one with dual Italian and Emirati nationality also aged 16, a Romanian aged 18, a Frenchman aged 39 and a Turkish citizen aged 18.
One of the victims was 16-year-old Arthur Brodard, who his mother was frantically searching for.
“Our Arthur has now gone to party in paradise,” said Laetitia Brodard, visibly shaken, in a Facebook story published Saturday evening, speaking to the camera. “We can begin our mourning, knowing that he is in peace and light.”
Brodard’s frantic search for his son reflects the desperation of the families of the young people lost in the fire, who do not know whether their loved ones are dead or in hospital.
Swiss authorities said the process of identifying the victims was particularly difficult due to the advanced degree of the burns, requiring the use of DNA samples. Brodard also gave him a DNA sample to help with the identification process.
In her Facebook post, she thanked those who “showed their compassion, their love” and those who shared information as she searched and anxiously waited for news of her son. Other parents and siblings are still waiting anxiously.
Bar managers face criminal investigation
Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation against the bar’s managers.
The two men are suspected of involuntary manslaughter, involuntary assault and battery and involuntary arson, Valais prosecutor general Béatrice Pilloud told the press on Saturday. The announcement of the investigation did not name the executives.
Investigators said Friday they believe flickering candles atop the champagne bottles started the fire when they got too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.
The authorities planned to check whether the sound-absorbing materials on the ceiling complied with regulations and whether the use of candles was permitted in the bar. Officials said they would also look at other safety measures at the scene, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced a national day of mourning for the victims on January 9.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said 17 patients were treated in France, out of a total of 35 transferred from Switzerland to five European countries. Other patients were to be transferred to Germany, Italy and Belgium.
—Associated Press journalists Kostya Manenkov in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw contributed to this report.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
