One Belgian missing, another injured after fatal fire in Swiss ski resort
Two Belgians have been caught up in a fatal fire in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, with one person missing and another injured, Belgium’s foreign ministry said on Friday.
One Belgian national remains unaccounted for and another has been injured following the blaze in Switzerland. Swiss authorities earlier confirmed that a Belgian was among the 119 people wounded, during a third press conference held after the deadly fire in Crans-Montana.
Prosecutor General Béatrice Pilloud said investigators believe the fire was caused by the use of so-called “firework fountains”. While stressing that all possible scenarios are still being examined, she noted that certain hypotheses are already being confirmed.
Investigators are focusing in particular on fireworks that had been attached to champagne bottles and held too close to the ceiling. “After that, the fire spread very quickly,” Pilloud said.
Video footage shows sound-insulating material suspended from the ceiling. Authorities are now examining whether this material complied with fire-safety regulations and whether it had been properly inspected beforehand in the bar.
© Fotogramma/ROPI via ZUMA Press