Swiss mayor admits inferno bar had not been inspected for FIVE YEARS and issues grovelling apology
The mayor of the Swiss village where 40 people died and 119 people suffered serious burns in a fire at a ski bar on New Year’s Eve has admitted that there have been no security checks at the party venue for five years.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud said that there have been no security inspections at Le Constellation bar since 2019.
‘We are very sorry. ‘We had no indication that checks were not carried out’.
‘We are sorry about this; ‘We owe it to the families and we will take responsibility.’
The mayor added that the soundproofing foam used in the bar was acceptable at the time.
He also said there was a team of just five people doing ‘tremendous work’ and carrying out checks in the area, dealing with more than 10,000 buildings, including restaurants and hotels.
Mr Feraud said the local council was investigating why this had happened, which would include a full inspection of all venues in the area and would ensure further checks were carried out.
Prosecutors said the fire, which spread quickly in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, was likely caused by sparkling candles igniting the ceiling of the bar’s basement.
All sparkler candles are now banned inside venues, the mayor said at the press conference.
Swiss authorities launched a criminal investigation against bar managers.
According to the chief prosecutor of the Valais region, the two are suspected of unintentional murder, unintentional causing bodily harm and unintentionally causing a fire.
