All 40 victims of Swiss bar fire identified as parents cry and hundreds march in silence

Crans Montana, Switzerland — A mass was celebrated on Sunday for 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, while distressed parents waited for news of their children or began a long grieving process.

By Sunday evening, Swiss authorities had identified the 40 dead. Among the dead are 18 Swiss citizens aged 14 to 31, two Italians aged 16, one with dual Italian and Emirati nationality, also aged 16, an 18-year-old Romanian, a 39-year-old Frenchman and an 18-year-old Turkish citizen.

In addition to the 40 dead, 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.

Gray-haired parents, teenagers and police officers were seen comforting each other during the mass held at the Chapelle Saint-Christophe in Crans-Montana. The mass was followed by a silent march towards the scene of the tragedy.

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. Despite freezing weather, several hundred people followed the mass on the screen installed outside the church.

Father Gilles Cavin spoke of the “terrible uncertainty” for families who do not know whether their loved ones are among the dead or still alive, among the injured. “We pray for their friends hard hit by poverty on this day which was intended to be a day of celebration and friendship,” he said.

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 at peace and in the 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, Brodard 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.

The Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation against the bar managers. In a statement on Sunday, regional police said there was no legal basis so far that would require the leaders to be detained pending legal proceedings. They were not considered to pose a flight risk.

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 they believed Flickering candles atop champagne bottles lit the fire when they got too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.

“The first testimonies reported a fire which spread quickly, generating a lot of smoke and a huge heat wave,” said the police press release on Sunday. “It all happened very quickly.”

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.