News · 2 January 2026
Swiss Ski Resort Fire Linked to Sparklers on Champagne Bottles as Death Toll Reaches 40
Photo by Gerrie van der Walt on Unsplash
Swiss investigators say a deadly New Year's fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana likely started when sparklers on champagne bottles came too close to the ceiling, causing a flashover incident that rapidly spread flames throughout the venue. The blaze killed around 40 people and injured 119 others, many of them teenagers and young adults. Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud confirmed investigators are examining soundproofing foam and potential criminal liability while emergency services struggled with the overwhelming number of severely burned victims requiring treatment at multiple hospitals.
Reported by NBC · How we write briefs