Silent procession of 2,000 people fill the street for mass in Swiss ski resort after New Year fire which killed 40 people
A silent procession of mourning filled the main street of Crans-Montana today as more than 2,000 people attended a mass in the Swiss ski resort following the New Year fire which killed around 40 people.
Many of those walking along the main street towards a makeshift shrine outside Le Constellation bar carried flowers as the gathering snaked its way up the hill to the scene of the tragedy.
People of all ages and many children joined with police and firefighters in the bright morning sun and stood in -8C outside St Christopher’s Church in the town where the service inside was relayed on speakers and on a big screen.
The Priest at one stage nearly broke down in tears as he read a message from Pope Leo to the grieving Alpine community.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sion, Jean-Marie Lovey stumbled slightly over his words before reading the Pope’s words.
The telegram from Pope Leo XIV said the Pontiff ‘Prays to the Lord to welcome the deceased into his dwelling of peace and light, and to support the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies.
‘May the Mother of God, in her tenderness, bring the comfort of faith to all those affected by this tragedy and keep them in hope.’
The moving ceremony took place as Swiss authorities announced that 16 more bodies of those who died in the inferno have now been identified, bringing the list of those officially identified to 24.
A silent procession of mourning filled the main street of Crans-Montana today as more than 2,000 people attended a mass in the Swiss ski resort following the New Year fire which killed around 40 people
A dramatic video captured the moment the ceiling of Le Constellation bar in Sweden caught fire
People of all ages and many children joined with police and firefighters in the bright morning sun and stood in -8C outside St Christopher’s Church in the town where the service inside was relayed on speakers and on a big screen
Of the 119 people injured in the fire, many critically, only six remain unidentified.
The youngest person was a Swiss girl aged 14, with nine aged under 18. The group includes people of Swiss, Italian, Romanian, Turkish and French nationalities, police said.
Eight Swiss citizens were identified on Saturday.
A criminal investigation into the people who ran Le Constellation bar, French Corsican couple Jacques and Jessica Morette, is under way, while victim’s families are enduring an agonising wait for information about loved ones who are still considered missing.
In the overflowing pews, a grieving woman listened intently, her hands clasped tightly and sometimes clasping rosary beads, as speakers delivered readings in German, French and Italian.
Another of the celebrants, the Rev Gilles Cavin spoke of the ‘terrible uncertainty’ for families unsure if their loved ones are among the dead or still alive among the injured. ‘We pray for their friends hard hit by misery on this day that was meant to be one of festivities and friendship,’ he said.
One of the victims formally identified was 16-year old Arthur Brodard, whose mother had been frantically searching for him.
‘Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise,’ a visibly shaken Laetitia Brodard said in a Facebook story posted on Saturday night.
‘We can start our mourning, knowing that he is in peace and in the light.’
Ms Brodard’s frenzied search for her son reflected the desperation of families of the young people missing following the fire, who do not know whether their loved ones are dead or in hospital.
Women stand with flowers as they mourn the loss of 40 lives in the devastating fire at Le Constellation bar in Sweden
Images show the moment before a deadly New Year’s Eve blaze at a Swiss ski resort bar killed at least 40 people. A waitress had been seen dancing and waving a lit sparkler beneath foam soundproofing panels on the ceiling, which then caught fire
Swiss authorities said the process of identifying victims is particularly hard because of the advanced degree of the burns, requiring the use of DNA samples. Ms Brodard had given her DNA sample to help in the identification process.
In her Facebook post, she thanked those who ‘testified their compassion, their love’ and to those who shared information as she anxiously searched and waited for news of her son.
Investigators said on Friday they believe sparkling candles stuck on the top of Champagne bottles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.
Authorities plan to look into whether sound-dampening foam on the ceiling conformed with regulations, and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Officials said they will also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin has declared a national day of mourning for the victims on January 9.
