Swiss bar fire claims 41st victim after teenager dies in hospital

An 18-year-old has died in hospital from injuries sustained in the Swiss Alpine bar fire, bringing the death toll to 41 a month after the tragedy.

The Swiss public prosecutor said on Sunday that the Swiss teenager had died in a Zurich hospital on Saturday.

The prosecutor said in a statement that no further information on the status of the investigation will be provided at this stage.

Investigators have said they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling at the packed Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, less than two hours after midnight on January 1.

Authorities are looking into whether soundproofing material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Fire safety inspections had not been carried out since 2019.

Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the bar owners – French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti – on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing a fire by negligence.

The court of compulsory measures in the south-western Valais region on January 12 ordered three months of pre-trial detention for Jacques Moretti, but on January 23 it ordered his release on bail.