Found an error?
Report now
Thousands of ski fans watch the races in Adelboden every year.
Keystone
In view of the upcoming Ski World Cup races in Adelboden and Wengen, the Bernese Oberland municipalities of Adelboden and Lauterbrunnen want to review the safety of their catering establishments following the fire disaster in Crans-Montana.
The ski races in Adelboden and Wengen attract thousands of ski fans year after year. Exuberant parties are held around the races. But this year, the question arises as to whether such festive activities are appropriate. Because the ski fans are already coming to Adelboden next weekend. Municipal council president Willy Schranz told Swiss Radio SRF on Monday that with the tragedy in Crans-Montana in mind, the municipality is facing challenges and will use the coming days to check out locations in the village.
"We are making sure that everything is in order so that something like this cannot happen," said Schranz. The municipality's task is to avoid mistakes, raise awareness among bar operators and talk to them about whether they have done everything they can to ensure the safety of their guests.
Schranz continues: "There will definitely be different races than in previous years. You have to feel a difference. For example, there will certainly be changes in the choice of music. You have to think about what has happened every day."
Christian Haueter, Managing Director of the races in Adelboden, has already announced that the supporting program will be redesigned. "We want to take the difficult and tragic situation into account." Memorial moments are also planned on the race days, and the Evangelical Alliance Adelboden is also setting up a place of silence in the chapel in the ground on the World Cup site.
Karl Näpflin, president of the Lauterbrunnen municipal council, to which the World Cup venue Wengen belongs, wants to discuss what needs to be done in the municipal council on Monday. Näpflin told Radio SRF that the municipality will keep an eye on the restaurants and nightclubs and will at least ask them to check their own operations again to make sure that everything is really safe.
For example, bar operators should check: "Are flammable materials present? Are the checkrooms equipped accordingly?" And the most important thing is that escape routes are well signposted and clear. Lauterbrunnen's municipal council president also warned against handling fire and candles.
According to SRF, Näpflin was asked by several parties to close the local nightclubs due to safety concerns. The municipality is not allowed to do this, but it will take a closer look, Näpflin said.
06.01.2026, 09:17
