Swiss Bar Fire Tragedy: Mass Held as Families Mourn Over 20 Dead
January 5, 2026
In Crans, Switzerland, hundreds met outside St Christopher's Church in the cold for a special Sunday Mass. They mourned victims of the New Year's Eve fire at Le Constellation bar. Over 20 dead have now been identified, though their names remain private. Many attendees hugged and cried silently, recalling those lost and those still hospitalized with severe burns. Several people fainted during the service, overcome with emotion.
Laetitia Brodard attended the Mass. Her teenage son Arthur was among the victims. She confirmed, "He died that first day." On Facebook, she said he "had gone to party in paradise." The fire's intensity made many bodies hard to identify, forcing forensic teams to use DNA and dental records. Even some injured remain unnamed in hospitals, unconscious and unrecognizable.
The bar was full of young people that night, some just teenagers. The Swiss drinking age is 16. After Mass, survivors silently walked in a procession towards the bar site, now shielded by white sheets. Flowers, soft toys, and handwritten notes create a growing shrine.
Firefighters and rescue workers, crying and arm in arm, received applause from the crowd. Local fire commander David Vocat, moved to tears, called his team a "giant family" and said, "I need them, and they need me. All my thoughts are for the victims and their families. I am so sorry."
Eyewitness teens described terrifying scenes as people fled the flames. A criminal investigation opened against the bar owners, a French couple. They face charges of killing, arson, and bodily harm by negligence.
Police reviewed videos showing the fire start. Staff handed out champagne bottles with sparklers, which set fire to the foam-covered ceiling. Flames spread rapidly. Investigators are checking if safety standards were met, including for foam materials, fire extinguishers, emergency exits, and overcrowding.
Some videos show teenagers trying to put out flames with T-shirts. Many did not grasp the danger at first, continuing to dance and film the fire. In remembrance, men wearing black scarves gathered for a victim nicknamed "Stefi," saying, "We're here for our colleague. May he now rest in peace."
Diana, who prayed with friends for those still in hospital, said, "We only hope they make it. We are not angry. But we believe the police will do their work well and we hope there is justice."
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Tags:
Swiss Bar Fire
Le Constellation
Fire Victims
Criminal investigation
Fire safety
Crans
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