A fire at a bar in a Swiss ski resort appears to have been caused by sparklers placed on bottles of champagne that came 'too close to the ceiling', authorities said.
Forty people died after the blaze in the early hours of New Year's Day in Crans-Montana, while 119 were injured.
Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud told a news conference on Friday the investigation would focus on the materials used on the site, the bar's fire safety measures, its capacity and the number of people inside at the time of the fire.
The investigation will explore whether prosecutions will be necessary. 'If that is the case, and if those people are still alive, there will be a case opened against them,' she said.
Everything leads us to think that the fire started from sparkling candles - or sparklers - which were put on bottles of champagne [that were] moved too close to the ceiling. From that, a blaze began very quickly, Ms Pilloud told the conference.
Authorities are still working on the formal identification of the 40 people killed in the fire, with police commander Frédéric Gisler stating, that is our priority. Many of those injured in the fire remain in critical condition.
The formal identification process of six others was ongoing, and Gisler warned the figures may still change. Among those injured were 19-year-old French footballer Tahirys Dos Santos, who was 'severely burned' and has been airlifted to Germany for treatment.
Mathias Reynard, president of the Valais region, indicated that around 50 injured individuals would be transferred to specialized centers for severe burns across Europe.
Ms Pilloud elaborated that the investigation would also consider whether the bar's ceiling abided by building regulations, potential issues with installed foam, and previous interviews conducted with bar staff and those who escaped.
Le Constellation is a long-standing establishment capable of holding up to 300 patrons. On the site in Crans-Montana, families have been gathering, leaving flowers and messages at a makeshift shrine.
