Valais security director contradicts Statement by the mayor provokes strong reactions

At a press conference on the fire disaster, mayor Nicolas Féraud explains that the flammability of the foam ceiling was not part of the checks. The Valais safety director now clearly contradicts this.

Following the fatal fire in the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana, in which 40 people died and over 100 were injured on New Year's Eve, the question of the responsibility of the authorities is coming into sharper focus. The catastrophe was triggered by flammable foam panels that were attached to the ceiling as sound insulation and caught fire.

At the municipality's media conference, Mayor Nicolas Féraud explained that checking the flammability of these ceiling materials was not explicitly part of the municipal specifications. Accordingly, the foam used had not been checked during the periodic inspections.

This account has now led to clear contradiction from the canton. Valais safety director Stéphane Ganzer told French-speaking Swiss television that the inspection of such materials is indeed part of the basic principles of a fire safety inspection. "There are very complete and clear checklists. Checking the materials - and a foam like this - is of course part of it," Ganzer explained.

Criticism of communication is growing

He also emphasized that the legal basis in Valais is precise and that omissions of this kind should not occur. "If everything had been adhered to, we wouldn't have ended up with 40 dead", said the security director. At the same time, he stated that it was not his place to conclusively assess the work of individual municipal administrations. What he did clearly state, however, was an omission.

"Poison for acceptance"Criticism of the Valais fire investigation is now growing

The open contradiction between the municipality and the canton exacerbates the criticism of the local authorities' communication. Crans-Montana had already previously admitted that the "Le Constellation" establishment had not been periodically inspected between 2020 and 2025 - even though annual fire safety inspections are required for establishments open to the public.

The criminal investigation against the operating couple is still ongoing. In addition to the cause of the fire, the focus is also on possible safety deficiencies and the role of the responsible inspection bodies. At the same time, there is growing political and legal pressure on the municipality to address its responsibility in the supervision of publicly accessible establishments.