The owner of the Swiss nightclub where a New Year's Eve fire killed about 40 people and injured 115 has said he cannot sleep following the tragedy. The blaze tore through the Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana at around 1.30am on Thursday.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced five days of national mourning, describing the fire as one of the most traumatic events in the country's history. 'It was a drama of an unknown scale,' he said, paying tribute to the many young lives lost.
Witnesses reported that the fire may have started after a bartender carried a female staff member on his shoulders, who was holding a lit birthday candle on top of a bottle that set fire to the wooden ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the ceiling to collapse and trapping revellers in a crowded basement.
Swiss police warned it could take days or even weeks to identify all the victims. The exact number of people in the bar at the time remains unclear. Chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said an investigation would examine whether the bar met safety standards and had sufficient exits.
Hundreds gathered for a vigil on Thursday evening, laying flowers and lighting candles in the freezing cold. Many knew people who were still missing or seriously injured. The injured were taken to hospitals in Sion, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich, with some transported to neighbouring countries for treatment.
The owner of the nightclub, speaking to local media, said he had not slept since the fire and was devastated by the loss of life. The resort of Crans-Montana, popular with wealthy Europeans, has been left in shock by the disaster.
