Bengal Lights Likely Triggered Deadly New Year’s Eve Fire at Swiss Ski Resort Pub

swiss investigators believe that Bengal lights—sparkler-style party candles attached to champagne bottles—were the probable cause of the catastrophic New Year’s Eve fire at a pub in the popular Crans-Montana ski resort. The tragedy claimed the lives of at least 47 people and left more than 100 injured, many of them with critical burn injuries.

According to Swiss authorities, the blaze broke out shortly after midnight at Le Constellation bar, which was crowded with revelers celebrating the arrival of the New Year. The fire spread with alarming speed, trapping many inside the venue.

Local prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud told a press conference that preliminary findings suggest the fire started when “fountain candles” or Bengal lights were brought too close to the bar’s ceiling. “This is a plausible hypothesis at this stage, but it has not yet been officially confirmed,” Pilloud said, stressing that the investigation is still ongoing.

Investigators are also examining whether insulating foam used in the ceiling contributed to the rapid spread and intensity of the fire. Authorities are working to determine if negligence played a role and whether criminal charges could eventually be brought.

Swiss officials cautioned that identifying all victims may take time due to the severity of the burns. Valais district chief Mathias Reynard said many of the injured remain in critical condition. “Several victims are still fighting for their lives,” he stated.

Approximately 50 injured individuals have been transferred—or are expected to be transferred—to specialized burn treatment centers in other European countries, including Germany and France, due to the scale of the medical emergency.

Police commander Frédéric Gisler confirmed that 113 injured people have been identified so far. Among them are 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French, 11 Italians, four Serbians, and one each from Bosnia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, and Luxembourg. Authorities emphasized that the death toll remains provisional.

Axel, a survivor who was in the basement when the fire erupted, described his escape as “miraculous.” He told reporters that he overturned a table to shield himself from the flames before attempting to flee. “We couldn’t see anything. I was half choking,” he recalled.

According to Axel, panic quickly ensued as people rushed toward a narrow exit. Unable to get out through the door, he smashed a window using a table and his feet to escape the smoke-filled room.

The first publicly identified victim was 16-year-old Italian international golfer Emanuele Galeppini, who lived in Dubai. In a statement, the Italian Golf Federation said: “We mourn the passing of a young athlete who embodied passion, dedication, and genuine values.”

As embassies worked urgently to determine whether their citizens were among the victims, families and friends of missing teenagers gathered near the sealed-off site, anxiously seeking updates.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that six Italians were listed as missing and thirteen were hospitalized. The French embassy in Switzerland reported that nine French nationals were injured, while eight remained unaccounted for.

Outside the cordoned-off bar, mourners created a temporary memorial, laying candles and flowers in tribute to the victims. Emma, an 18-year-old from Geneva, said she had decided not to enter the bar due to a long queue. “It could have been US,” she said quietly.

Seventeen-year-old Elisa Sousa, who spent the evening at home with her family, expressed similar sentiments. “I’ll need to thank my mother a hundred times for not letting me go,” she said. “God only knows where I would be right now.”