A candlelit memorial honouring the 41 victims of the New Year’s Eve bar blaze in Crans-Montana was damaged by fire early on Sunday, Swiss police said.
The makeshift tribute, set up near the site of the New Year’s Day tragedy in the ski resort town, caught fire shortly before 6am. Police said the blaze is believed to have started from candles placed on a table at the centre of the memorial. Third-party involvement has been ruled out.
Images from the scene show a scorched tent that had been erected to protect flowers, stuffed animals and messages left by mourners. Firefighters extinguished the flames and no injuries were reported. A book of condolences was not damaged, and authorities said the memorial is being rebuilt.
Families are still awaiting the outcome of the investigation into the bar fire, which killed 41 people aged between 14 and 39 and injured 115 others, many of whom remain in hospital with severe burns.
According to investigators, the blaze was caused by sparklers carried by a bar worker and spread rapidly. Police transcripts indicate that some victims were found near a locked rear exit, while others were discovered near the main entrance and in the basement.
Four people, including bar owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti, as well as a former and a current local official, are under investigation. Authorities have acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety inspections for five years. The owners and the town’s mayor have expressed regret.
The tragedy has also affected relations with neighbouring Italy, which lost nationals in the fire and has criticised the decision to release the bar owner on bail.
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