Hundreds of mourners gathered in silence on Sunday to pay their respects to the 40 people who lost their lives in a devastating fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps, which occurred during New Year's celebrations. The somber procession wound its way up the hill to Le Constellation bar, where many had been celebrating before the tragedy struck.
As the crowd marched through the streets, some wept openly, while others clutched flower bouquets and other tributes. At the makeshift memorial piled with flowers, cuddly toys, and other tokens of remembrance, mourners broke into sustained applause as more people arrived to pay their respects. The outpouring of grief was a testament to the strong bond between the community and its young residents.
"We went there to party," said Cathy Premer, whose 17-year-old daughter was celebrating her birthday when she called in frantic because Le Constellation bar was cordoned off due to the fire. Premer's words captured the sense of inexplicable tragedy that had struck this festive destination for New Year's Eve revelers.
Paola Ponti Greppi, an 80-year-old Italian who lives in Crans-Montana, called for greater safety checks in bars. "We need more safety in these places," she said. Her words echoed concerns from many about how the tragedy could have been prevented.
At a Mass held at the local chapel, Rev. Gilles Cavin spoke of the "terrible uncertainty" that families faced as they awaited news of their loved ones. The service was attended by hundreds of mourners who listened intently as speakers delivered readings in German, French, and Italian.
Forty people died, with 119 injured, and many were in their teens to mid-20s. Authorities had not yet identified all the victims but said they would release more information as it became available. DNA samples played a crucial role in identifying some of the victims.
One victim's mother, Laetitia Brodard, spoke out about her desperate search for her 16-year-old son Arthur, who was at the bar when the fire broke out. "Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise," she said, expressing relief that he had been spared. Her words were a message of hope and resilience from those affected by the tragedy.
The investigation into the bar's management is ongoing, with prosecutors suspecting involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and causing a fire. The case highlights concerns about safety measures at crowded establishments like Le Constellation bar. Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced a national day of mourning for the victims on January 9.
As the crowd marched through the streets, some wept openly, while others clutched flower bouquets and other tributes. At the makeshift memorial piled with flowers, cuddly toys, and other tokens of remembrance, mourners broke into sustained applause as more people arrived to pay their respects. The outpouring of grief was a testament to the strong bond between the community and its young residents.
"We went there to party," said Cathy Premer, whose 17-year-old daughter was celebrating her birthday when she called in frantic because Le Constellation bar was cordoned off due to the fire. Premer's words captured the sense of inexplicable tragedy that had struck this festive destination for New Year's Eve revelers.
Paola Ponti Greppi, an 80-year-old Italian who lives in Crans-Montana, called for greater safety checks in bars. "We need more safety in these places," she said. Her words echoed concerns from many about how the tragedy could have been prevented.
At a Mass held at the local chapel, Rev. Gilles Cavin spoke of the "terrible uncertainty" that families faced as they awaited news of their loved ones. The service was attended by hundreds of mourners who listened intently as speakers delivered readings in German, French, and Italian.
Forty people died, with 119 injured, and many were in their teens to mid-20s. Authorities had not yet identified all the victims but said they would release more information as it became available. DNA samples played a crucial role in identifying some of the victims.
One victim's mother, Laetitia Brodard, spoke out about her desperate search for her 16-year-old son Arthur, who was at the bar when the fire broke out. "Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise," she said, expressing relief that he had been spared. Her words were a message of hope and resilience from those affected by the tragedy.
The investigation into the bar's management is ongoing, with prosecutors suspecting involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and causing a fire. The case highlights concerns about safety measures at crowded establishments like Le Constellation bar. Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced a national day of mourning for the victims on January 9.
Oh man, this is so sad... I mean, I know the community was celebrating New Year's Eve, but still, 40 people losing their lives is just... 
How could something like that happen? I'm reading some comments online saying it's a tragedy of humanity, and I'm like, yeah, exactly! 
I don't think it's about blaming anyone, it's more about making sure this doesn't happen again. We need to talk about safety measures in bars, duh! 
Like Paola Ponti Greppi said, we definitely need better checks in place. And what's with the investigation? Shouldn't they have had fire alarms and stuff set up already?! 
I'm not saying anyone was negligent or anything, but come on, people! We gotta learn from this and be more careful next time... 
. It's just not right that something so senseless has to happen to innocent people, especially young ones 
. Safety checks in bars should be taken super seriously - like Paola said, it's a matter of life and death 
. I can only imagine how devastated Cathy Premer must've felt when she found out her daughter was at the bar during that horrific night 
.
. Better safety measures, better protocols in place... we gotta be more careful 
. And to the families who lost loved ones, my heart goes out to you - may they find peace and solace soon 
.
. The safety checks Paola Ponti Greppi mentioned are so important - bars need to be held accountable for their safety measures 
we need to make sure that something like this never happens again 
This whole thing is just so tragic 
and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it... how could this have happened? 
. The fact that there were so many victims is mind-boggling, especially since the bar was meant to be a fun and lively spot for New Year's celebrations 
how could that not be taken seriously?! 
safety checks in bars are a must 
we can't keep relying on people to just be careful or something 
. It's not just about the young people who lost their lives, it's also about the families and loved ones who are still searching for answers 
.
no more excuses, let's get this sorted out 
. The scale of the devastation is just heartbreaking, with so many young lives lost 
. I hope the authorities take these concerns seriously and implement some serious changes, especially when it comes to crowded establishments like Le Constellation bar.
. Like Laetitia Brodard's words about her son Arthur being spared... it's a testament to the human spirit and its ability to heal and move forward in the face of tragedy 
it just goes to show how quickly things can go wrong in a crowded space like that... and now ppl r grieving and trying to come to terms with what happened... 
It's crazy how one wrong move at a bar can lead to so many lives lost and injured... 
It's just one of those things that makes you go "wait, why didn't someone see this coming?" 
Anyway, my thoughts are still with the families and loved ones who lost their people... 
. The fact that some people were even discussing safety checks before the incident is a bit too little, too late, don't you think? 
We need stricter regulations in place for these types of venues to prevent something like this from happening again.
[GIF: A person looking worried with a thought bubble saying "I should've told them to get out"](https://giphy.com/gifs/concerned-worry-2016_2q7K8) 
[Image: A group of people looking worried and concerned while talking to each other](https://i.imgur.com/m4kTzJn.jpg)