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This photo allegedly shows how the staircase was narrowed towards the top.
Following the fatal fire in Crans-Montana, the focus is once again shifting to earlier conversions of the "Le Constellation" bar. Photos from social networks could be important for the ongoing investigation.
During the fire in the "Le Constellation" bar in the Valais vacation resort of Crans-Montana, the narrow staircase from the basement to the first floor became a bottleneck for many people. Survivors reported heavy crowding as guests tried to escape from the burning room.
New photos have now emerged that could be relevant to the investigation, as first reported byBlick.
Images from the operator's Facebook page suggest that this very staircase may have been narrowed during renovation work in 2015. The pictures date from the time after the bar was taken over and document renovation work inside the bar.
At the time, the operator had stated that he had largely renovated the bar himself. The published photos show work on the stairs as well as installations on the ceiling. Among other things, the photos show how foam cladding was installed - a construction that had previously been discussed in connection with the fire.
A further photo is also circulating on social networks, which is said to show the installation of ceiling insulation inside the bar. It appears to show large foam panels installed on the ceiling. This is presumably the same material that can be seen burning and dripping down on videos from the night of the fire.
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If the authenticity of the recording is confirmed, it could provide clues as to when this construction was installed. However, the exact time of the recording is currently unclear. Research also shows that pictures on the Tripadvisor review portal from 2016 already show the bar with this striking ceiling structure.
This means that the ceiling cladding would have been in use for several years. According to the authorities, it is the subject of ongoing investigations as to whether it was objected to during previous fire safety inspections. The presumption of innocence applies.
