Failures admitted "We are the most damaged", says the president of the municipality after the fire inferno

Following the fatal fire in the Le Constellation bar, which claimed 40 lives, the municipality of Crans-Montana has spoken publicly for the first time. The authorities admitted failures in fire safety inspections - and irritated with several statements.

Following the devastating fire in the Le Constellation bar, the municipality of Crans-Montana made its first comprehensive statement on Tuesday. Mayor Nicolas Féraud appeared before the media together with members of the municipal council and confirmed an official omission.

"We are still deeply shocked by what happened five days ago," said Féraud at the start of the media conference. Over the past few days, numerous documents had been viewed and forwarded to the public prosecutor's office. "We don't want to get involved in criminal investigations," emphasized the mayor, "but we will not remain silent. We owe the victims transparency."

You can read the entire media conference here:

Press conference of the municipality"We call a few weeks before the inspection"

Specifically, the municipality confirmed that the pub had last been inspected in 2019. Prior to that, there had been inspections in 2017 and 2018. However, no regular fire safety inspections were carried out between 2020 and 2025. "We deeply regret this," said Féraud. Why this gap has arisen is currently unknown: "We don't have an answer to that yet."

Responsibility for the checks lies with the Public Safety department. Five people are employed there, three of whom are responsible for periodic checks. "We didn't know that these checks were not being carried out as they should have been," explained the mayor. A contradiction: just a few days ago, he had publicly stated that there had been "no lax controls". He now said: "No, I no longer stand by that statement. We didn't know then what we know now."

"Nobody in the municipality had a clue"

Regarding the structural situation, Féraud explained that the owner of the bar had applied for a conversion to create a veranda in 2015. The planning application was submitted to the public and approved. "No planning application was required for the subsequent interior work," he said. In addition, the law does not provide for a systematic inspection of material quality during periodic inspections. Féraud emphasized: "The law does not say that we also have to check ceilings."

Lawyer explains"There is only one way to get justice for the victims"

It remained unclear whether the sound-insulating foam panels installed in the restaurant were certified. "We don't know whether these mats were certified," said Féraud. The safety officer at the time was of the opinion "that these materials did not need to be inspected". No complaints were recorded during the inspection in 2019.

The mayor also commented on the use of sparklers in the bar. The municipality had no knowledge of any such risks. "The bar operator was extremely negligent", said Féraud. "He took risks that we can't justify. But none of us in the community had any idea what was going on in this bar."

"We are the most damaged"

In response to the tragedy, the municipality announced several immediate measures. An external specialist office is to inspect all public establishments in the municipality. In addition, a ban on pyrotechnic objects in enclosed spaces will apply with immediate effect. "In future, we will have all materials used checked - even where the law does not expressly require it," said Féraud.

The municipality's decision to position itself as a joint plaintiff in the criminal proceedings caused some discussion. "We see ourselves as victims of this drama," said Féraud. "We've been badly damaged - we've suffered the most damage, more than anyone else." By joining as a joint plaintiff, they want to gain access to relevant files. Whether the municipality will actually be admitted as a joint plaintiff will have to be decided by the judiciary.

The mayor once again rejected calls for his resignation. "No, it's not about resigning," he said. "You don't abandon a sinking ship." On a personal level, however, he appeared to be heavily burdened. When asked about feelings of guilt, Féraud said: "It was an incredibly difficult week. No one can prepare you for such a tragedy. I will carry this burden for the rest of my life."

The municipality concluded by emphasizing that it would continue to work closely with the justice system. "The judiciary will clarify what influence this control gap had in the causal chain," said Féraud. "We will accept the responsibility that is assigned to us."