Mourners gather at mass for Swiss bar fire victims
BBC••general
Key Points:
- Hundreds gathered at St Christopher's Church in Crans Montana for a memorial Mass honoring victims of the New Year's Eve fire at Le Constellation bar, where over 20 people have been confirmed dead and many others severely injured.
- Families are grappling with the identification of victims, as many bodies were badly burned, requiring forensic methods like DNA and dental record analysis; some injured remain unconscious and unidentified in hospitals.
- Survivors and mourners held a silent procession to the fire site, which remains cordoned off and marked by growing memorials of flowers, toys, and notes, while firefighters and rescue workers were publicly praised for their efforts despite the trauma.
- Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the bar owners, suspected of negligence
