Ganzer sees failure "Someone has made a mistake", says Valais Director of Security
Following the fatal fire disaster in Crans-Montana, Valais Security Director Stéphane Ganzer assumes that someone made a mistake. Despite existing standards and controls, "something didn't work", he said on Swiss radio.
03.01.2026, 13:15
SDA
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- Safety Director Stéphane Ganzer is convinced that a mistake led to the fire disaster.
- He sees the main problem not with party candles, but with the ceiling cladding.
- The police and authorities are now examining all the reports and circumstances.
Valais security director Stéphane Ganzer is certain that someone made a mistake that led to the fire disaster in Crans-Montana VS. Something didn't work, he told Radio SRF on Saturday.
"Such a huge accident with a fire in Switzerland, where we have standards and professional controls, means that something didn't work," said the FDP politician. "There was an emergency exit, there were controls".
When asked about party videos circulating on the internet, Ganzer said that the problem was not the Bengal candles. These can be found in every bar or disco in Switzerland. "The real problem for me is not the candle alone, but the ceiling," said Ganzer.
Special situation likely to last at least another week
He sees a major problem with the material used there. He suspected that new renovations may have been carried out and new material installed between two inspections.
For Ganzer, one thing is clear: "Someone made a mistake. I'm sure of it." The municipality of Crans-Montana had also carried out checks in this bar. "As a canton, we were not aware of any particular problem," says Ganzer.
The police will now examine all reports and the exact circumstances. The security director went on to say that he expects the special situation in the canton to continue for at least another week.
