CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Hundreds of people marched in silence Sunday to honor the victims of a New Year’s Eve bar fire in the Swiss alpine resort of Crans-Montana that left 40 dead and many seriously injured.
Somber mourners, many with bloodshot eyes, silently filed out of the chapel to organ music after the hour-long Mass at the Chapelle Saint-Christophe in Crans-Montana. Some hugged each other before walking up a hill to the Le Constellation bar.
Many hundreds of people walked in the dense procession snaking in the bright sunlight past closed shops. Up on the mountain overlooking the city, snow machines sent white flakes into the air.
At the top of the street, in front of Le Constellation – which is still largely shielded by white screens – the swelling crowd stood in near-total silence, some crying.
Then they broke into a standing ovation for the rescue teams and police who rushed to the scene of the horror, their hands in gloves and mittens against the cold. Mourners and well-wishers laid bouquets at a makeshift memorial piled high with flowers, cuddly toys and other tributes. Some firefighters also wiped their eyes.
“They went there to party”
“Through this tragic event, I think we all need to remember that we are all brothers and sisters in humanity,” said Véronique Barras, a local resident who knows the grieving families. “It’s important to support each other, embrace each other and move forward into the light.”
Cathy Premer said her daughter was celebrating her 17th birthday on New Year’s Eve when she called in the early hours of the morning to say she was stuck because Le Constellation was on lockdown.
“For young people — but even for adults — it’s hard to understand things that seem inexplicable,” she said. “They went there to party, it’s a destination for December 31st, it’s very festive, there were people of many nationalities… and it all turned into a tragedy.”
In the crowd, Paola Ponti Greppi, an 80-year-old Italian who has a home in Crans-Montana, called for security checks in bars. “We need more security in these places because it’s not the only place like this. Why didn’t the city do the proper checks? To me, that’s terrible.”
A liturgy for the victims
During the Mass, Rev. Gilles Cavin spoke of the “terrible uncertainty” for families who are not sure if their loved ones are among the dead or still alive among the injured.
“There are no words strong enough to express the dismay, anguish and anger of those who are affected in their lives today. And yet, we are here, gathered because silence alone is not enough,” he said.
In the crowded pews, a grieving woman listened intently, hands clasped tightly and sometimes clutching rosary beads, as speakers gave readings in German, French and Italian.
Forty people died and 119 were injured in the fire which broke out at around 1.30am on Thursday at the Le Constellation bar. Police said many of the victims were in their teens to mid-20s.
By Sunday evening, Swiss authorities had identified all 40 deaths.
A grieving mother
One of the victims was 16-year-old Arthur Brodard, whose mother had been frantically searching for him.
“Our Arthur has now gone to spend in paradise,” a visibly shaken Laetitia Brodard said in a Facebook story posted Saturday night, speaking to a camera. “We can begin mourning, knowing that he is at peace and in the light.”
Brodard’s frantic search for her son mirrored the despair of the families of the youths who disappeared during the fire, who did not know whether their loved ones were dead or in the hospital.
Swiss authorities said the process of identifying the victims was particularly difficult due to the advanced degree of the burns, requiring the use of DNA samples. Brodard had also given him the DNA sample to aid in the identification process.
In her Facebook post, she thanked those who “expressed their compassion, their love” and those who shared information as she anxiously searched and waited for news of her son. Other parents and siblings are still grieving.
The bar managers face a criminal investigation
Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation against the bar managers.
The two are suspected of involuntary manslaughter, involuntary bodily harm and involuntary causing a fire, Valais chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said on Saturday. The inquiry announcement did not name the managers.
Regional police said on Sunday there was no legal basis so far to require the managers to be detained pending legal proceedings. They were not considered to be a flight risk.
Investigators said they believe sparkling festive candles atop champagne bottles ignited the fire when they got too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.
Authorities are looking into whether the sound-deadening material on the ceiling complied with regulations and whether candles were permitted for use in the bar. The investigation also focuses on other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes, and whether previous work at the site was up to code.
“Initial witness reports cited a fire that spread rapidly, generating a lot of smoke and a huge heat wave,” police said in a statement on Sunday. “It all happened very quickly.”
Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced a national day of mourning for the victims on January 9.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said 17 patients received care in France, out of a total of 35 transferred from Switzerland to five European countries. Other patients were planned to be transferred to Germany, Italy and Belgium.
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Associated Press reporters Kostya Manenkov in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw contributed to this report