With flags already at half-mast across Switzerland, a chorus of church bells will ring out across Switzerland at 2 p.m. today in memory of the 40 victims of a deadly fire in a mountain resort.

As the country pauses to pay respects to the victims, many of whom were teenagers enjoying a night out, fellow citizens are asking how such a tragedy could unfold in a country that prides itself on safety, high standards and a top-drawer quality of life.

The fire, which also injured 116 people, happened in the early hours of New Year’s Day in Crans-Montana in the French-speaking south west of the country. Many of the victims were so severely burned that it took days to identify them. Of those injured, the majority remain in hospital and have been transported to specialist clinics as far away as Stuttgart and Paris.

The scandal has shaken the country, particularly given revelations about failures at “Le Constellation,” a two-storey bar in the town, and also by local authorities who are supposed to enforce fire safety. Officials admitted this week that the bar hadn’t been checked and inspected for safety since 2019.

“We bitterly regret this,” Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud said at a press conference.

On Friday, a memorial ceremony for the victims will take place in the town of Martigny as part of a national day of mourning. The event was moved from Crans-Montana, which sits at an altitude of 1,500 meters, due to the heavy snow forecast.

Switzerland’s president Guy Parmelin, who described the fire as “one of the worst tragedies that our country has ever known,” will attend, along with other local politicians. French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian President Sergio Mattarella will also take part, in memory of those from their countries who died. Victims of the fire came from 19 countries.

The disaster has become a tragic backdrop for a number of global events taking place in Switzerland in the coming weeks, including ski World Cup races and the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering of the global elite of executives and politicians in Davos.

Authorities in Davos said Thursday that they will have a “proven fire-safety regime” in place for the WEF event, which starts on Jan. 19. Fire services will operate at heightened alert during the event, the authority said. Additional crews will be deployed, including a special unit directly at the Congress Center — where key events take place.

Stores in Davos, even a church, are being repurposed into event spaces and multiple temporary structures have been constructed. All need approval and are inspected by the Graubünden cantonal building insurer.

It’s a similar story in Adelboden, where a World Cup ski races are scheduled this weekend.

“The operators will do everything they can so that we won’t have a repeat of such an event,” Mayor Willy Schranz told SRF Radio. “We have a responsibility here.”

Swiss lawmakers held a hearing with Justice Minister Beat Jans on Thursday and quizzed him about what kind of support the country can offer for victims of the fire.

Investigation

Meanwhile Valais prosecutors continue to investigate the two bar owners over alleged fire safety failures. Possible charges include homicide and bodily injury by negligence. The fire appears to have been triggered by sparklers held aloft in champagne bottles that caught fire to a highly-flammable, soundproofing foam on the ceiling.

Insurers are also assessing the fallout from the event, with damages due to be paid out to survivors of the fire for the injuries they suffered, as well as the family of the dead.

French insurer AXA SA said that it has provided liability insurance to Crans-Montana and a business liability insurance for “La Constellation.” Both policies are “standard products” and the sum insured is limited, AXA’s Swiss unit said in a statement.

Swiss insurance companies Zurich Insurance Group AG and Helvetia Baloise Holding AG declined to comment on any exposure.

While the town of Crans-Montana struggles to get back on its feet, there hasn’t been a noticeable impact on tourism so far, according to Bruno Huggler, director of Crans-Montana Tourism.

In terms of overnight stays “there have been hardly any early departures or cancellations, apart from the people directly affected,” he said.

A number of businesses that closed or reduced opening hours for a time after the fire are now trying to operate as normal again, as much as that’s possible.

On the town’s website, a message reads: “You are warmly invited to visit them with calm, respect and consideration during this time of shared sorrow.”

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—With assistance from Bastian Benrath-Wright, Paula Doenecke, Isabel Demetz and Myriam Balezou.

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