IDENTIFYING VICTIMS COULD TAKE DAYS AFTER DEADLY FIRE IN SWISS RESORT, AUTHORITIES SAY

BRUSSELS, Jan 2 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Swiss authorities said on Friday that identifying the victims of a deadly fire that broke out during New Year’s Eve celebrations at a crowded bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana could take several days, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

Dozens of families continue searching for missing loved ones, while many of the injured remain in critical condition.

Stephane Ganzer, Valais state councillor in charge of security, told reporters that “identifying the bodies of the deceased could take several days, or even longer,” citing the severity of the burns, according to the French-language Swiss daily Le Temps.

Italian Ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado also said the bodies were “not identifiable due to the extent of the burns,” according to Italian news agency ANSA.

Valais cantonal police have so far reported around 40 people killed and some 115 injured, most of them seriously, while stressing that the figures remain provisional as the identification process continues.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italian media that at least 47 people were killed and 112 injured, adding that identifying the victims would be “particularly complex.” According to Italian authorities, six Italian nationals are missing and 13 are hospitalised.

Matthias Reynard, president of the Valais government, told local daily Walliser Bote that at least 80 of the injured are in critical condition.

Swiss broadcaster RTS reported that Lausanne University Hospital is currently treating around 13 adults and eight minors, all suffering burns covering more than 60 per cent of their body surface.

Swiss hospitals are under heavy pressure due to the influx of severely injured patients. France has reserved 19 beds for burn victims to support Swiss medical services, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist announced.

Several other countries, including Sweden and North Macedonia, have also offered assistance. Injured victims have already been transferred to hospitals in Milan, Paris and Lyon.

Valais cantonal authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the incident, with Attorney General Béatrice Pilloud saying the leading hypothesis is a “generalised conflagration that caused a deflagration,” while stressing that investigators will assess compliance with safety standards and ruling out terrorism.

Witness accounts and images circulating on social media suggest the fire may have been triggered by sparklers attached to champagne bottles inside the bar.

Fire experts told the BBC that the possibility of a “flashover” exists, a phenomenon in which heat rapidly ignites all combustible materials in an enclosed space within seconds.

The fire broke out shortly after midnight, triggering a major emergency response. Dozens of ambulances and helicopters were deployed, and injured victims were transported to hospitals across Switzerland and abroad, including specialised burn units.

Late on Thursday evening, hundreds of people gathered in silence outside the burnt Constellation bar to pay tribute to the victims, laying candles and flowers in freezing temperatures as police secured the area.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU