In the heart of Crans-Montana, a community is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 40 young people on New Year's Eve. The tragedy unfolded at Le Constellation bar, where a special Sunday Mass brought together mourners to remember the victims. The emotional gathering saw many hugging and crying as they recalled the dozens killed and those still fighting for their lives in hospital with severe burns. The bar, packed with young people, many just teenagers, was the site of a criminal investigation, with the bar owners suspected of killing and causing arson and bodily harm through negligence. The investigation will examine whether the foam and other materials met safety standards, possible overcrowding, access to emergency exits from the basement, and whether there were fire extinguishers. The bodies of the victims, so badly burned they are difficult to identify, are being returned to their families, some of whom had been holding on to the hope their children might yet be found - injured, but alive. The local fire commander, who considered leaving his job after what he experienced here, described the firefighters and rescue workers as a giant family, and the people of Crans are hailing them as heroes. The memorial site outside the church is a shrine that keeps growing, with heaps of flowers and soft toys, and handwritten notes with names and photographs. A group of men formed a semi-circle to remember one man killed at the bar, and a criminal investigation has been opened.
