Police in Crans-Montana have formally identified the first four victims of the devastating fire that broke out during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Le Constellation bar. According to Valais cantonal police, the deceased are four Swiss teenagers — two women aged 21 and 16, and two men aged 18 and 16 — whose bodies have now been returned to their families.

Authorities said the identifications were possible only after extensive forensic work carried out by police officers and the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Investigators cautioned that the process of identifying the remaining victims will take time because many suffered severe burns, making visual recognition impossible. Out of respect for grieving families, police said no further details would be released at this stage.

The blaze erupted around 1.30 am on January 1, when the bar was packed with revellers welcoming 2026. Preliminary investigations suggest that sparklers or “Bengal lights” attached to champagne bottles may have ignited the ceiling, triggering a rapid flashover that caused flames to spread within seconds. Part of the wooden ceiling reportedly collapsed, trapping people inside.

Survivors described scenes of chaos as people tried to flee through narrow exits, with some smashing windows in desperate attempts to escape. Prosecutors are examining whether the use of sparklers was permitted indoors and whether fire safety measures — including ceiling materials, escape routes and extinguishers — met regulations. Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud has said criminal proceedings could follow if negligence is established.

Of the 119 people injured, 113 have been identified so far, including Swiss nationals and visitors from several European countries. Many victims were transferred to specialist burn units across Switzerland, France and Germany. Families of those still missing continue to wait anxiously, underscoring the human toll of one of Switzerland’s deadliest nightclub fires in recent history.