Swiss authorities have confirmed the identities of the first four victims killed in a devastating New Year’s Eve fire at a bar in the alpine resort town of Crans-Montana, as forensic teams continue working to identify the remaining dead.
Valais cantonal police said the victims were two Swiss women aged 21 and 16, and two Swiss men aged 18 and 16. Their bodies have now been formally identified and returned to their families, officials said in a statement released Friday.
Police said the identifications were made possible through “extensive” forensic analysis conducted by investigators alongside specialists from the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Authorities stressed that the process is ongoing and requires time due to the scale of the tragedy and the condition of some remains.
The fire at the Le Constellation nightclub killed 40 people and injured 119 others, according to officials. While many of the injured have since been identified and treated, families of those still unaccounted for continue to wait for confirmation about loved ones.
A preliminary investigation indicates the blaze may have been sparked when sparklers attached to champagne bottles were carried too close to the venue’s ceiling, igniting combustible materials. Investigators have cautioned that these findings are not final and that further technical analysis is underway.
Authorities have not released the names of the identified victims, citing privacy considerations and respect for grieving families.
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Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the incident as “one of the worst tragedies” in the country’s history, as messages of condolence and solidarity continued to arrive from across Switzerland and abroad.
Separately, reports have emerged identifying a teenage golfer from Italy as one of the victims, though Swiss and Italian officials have not formally confirmed his death.
Officials said further updates would be provided as additional victims are identified and the investigation into the cause of the fire progresses.