Investigation opened into managers of Swiss bar where fire killed 40

Municipal workers move flowers closer to the sealed off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the new year’s celebrations (Baz Ratner/AP)

Swiss authorities have opened an investigation into the managers of the bar where a fire at a New Year party left 40 people dead, police said on Saturday.

The two are suspected of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing fire by negligence, police said in a statement. They said that the investigation was opened on Friday night, but did not give further details.

More than 100 people were injured in the blaze that broke out about 1.30am on Thursday at the Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana.

The process of identifying the dead and injured was still under way on Saturday, leading to an agonising wait for relatives desperate for news.

Candles and cuddly toys near the sealed off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana (Baz Ratner/AP)

Investigators said on Friday that they believe sparklers in Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.

Many of the injured were in their teens to mid-20s, police said. Authorities planned to look into whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.

Officials said they would also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes. The region’s top prosecutor has warned of possible prosecutions if any criminal liability is found.

The Valais region’s top security official, Stephane Ganzer, told SRF public radio Saturday that “such a huge accident with a fire in Switzerland means that something didn’t work — maybe the material, maybe the organisation on the spot.”

He added: “Something didn’t work and someone made a mistake, I am sure of that.”

Nicolas Feraud, who heads the Crans-Montana municipality, told RTS radio he was “convinced” checks on the bar had not been lax, the broadcaster reported.

Asked whether the tragedy could have been avoided, Swiss justice minister Beat Jans replied that officials could not yet answer and “we know that the world needs an answer on this question”.