A New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation in Crans‑Montana killed 40 people and injured more than 100, prompting immediate bans on risky practices such as sparkling candles and an investigation into the bar’s owners. Reports that the venue had not been inspected for six years have intensified calls to harmonise safety standards nationally. The blaze has caused local booking cancellations and renewed debate over inspection resources, mandatory insurance in some cantons and the balance between cantonal autonomy and federal oversight.
Deadly Crans‑Montana Blaze Shakes Swiss Tourism, Prompts Push For Stricter Safety Rules
People walk next to a snow covered Verbier Swiss ski resort in Verbier, Switzerland, January 13, 2026. REUTERS/Olivia Le Poidevin
VERBIER, Switzerland — A New Year’s Eve fire at the Le Constellation bar in the Crans‑Montana ski area killed 40 people and injured more than 100, a disaster that has rattled Switzerland’s high‑value tourism industry and sharpened calls for tighter safety oversight.
Skis sit outside a ski shop at the Verbier Swiss ski resort in Verbier, Switzerland, January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Olivia Le Poidevin
Authorities said the venue had reportedly gone six years without a safety inspection. In the immediate aftermath, officials banned certain practices, including the use of sparkling candles that have been blamed for sparking the blaze. Le Constellation’s owners, Jacques Moretti and his wife, are under investigation on suspicion of negligent homicide and related offences.
A snow-topped chalet stands at the Verbier Swiss ski resort in Verbier, Switzerland, January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Olivia Le Poidevin
Business Impact
The human toll has been severe and the economic shock immediate: hoteliers and short‑term rental hosts in Crans‑Montana reported cancellations and postponed bookings, leaving January "a month to forget," local industry representatives said. Although the region has roughly 1,300 hotel rooms, many visitors use chalets and rented apartments, which has so far helped limit a broader drop in occupancy.
A snow covered Verbier Swiss ski resort stands in Verbier, Switzerland, January 13, 2026. REUTERS/Olivia Le Poidevin
Tourism is significant to Switzerland’s economy — official figures put its value at about $22.17 billion, or roughly 3% of national output in 2021 — heightening concern over reputational damage and potential longer‑term impacts on bookings and visitor confidence.
FILE PHOTO: People walk past the "Le Constellation" bar, following a deadly fire during a New Year's Eve party, in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
Safety, Insurance And Political Fallout
The blaze has intensified a political debate about whether Switzerland’s cantonal system, which gives local governments primary responsibility for inspections and safety rules, leaves gaps in protection. Critics have called for harmonised national standards, while some local officials warn that inspections require resources — one municipality said four full‑time safety officials struggle to inspect some 400 public buildings a year.
Complicating matters, building insurance is not mandatory in four of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, including Valais, a situation that can raise risks for owners and weaken financial safeguards after fires. Industry groups and lawmakers are now pushing for stronger, more regular inspections, mandatory staff fire‑safety training, crowd limits at venues and a national review of standards.
Community And International Response
The victims included teenagers and some foreign nationals; survivors remain hospitalised across Europe. The tragedy produced an unusually large spike in international coverage and triggered the activation of crisis support for nationals abroad, underlining the reputational stakes for Switzerland following other recent setbacks.
“We thought we had strict rules and were well prepared,” said a senior lawmaker overseeing security in the lower house. “But the fire has brutally confronted us with reality.”
As investigations continue and industry groups press for change, local hospitality businesses have emphasised the need for clearer, enforceable rules and better training — while some cantons and municipal leaders caution against sweeping federal intervention without resources to implement inspections.
($1 = 0.7667 Swiss francs)
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