Italy granted legal assistance in Swiss fire tragedy probe

Security stands in front of the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday morning, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)

Prosecutors investigating the deadly New Year bar inferno in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana have accepted Italy’s request for legal assistance, Switzerland’s justice ministry said Friday.

Italy therefore becomes the first and, to date, only foreign country to be granted mutual legal assistance in the investigation, meaning its investigative magistrates will be given access to evidence.

Six Italian nationals -- all aged 16 or under -- were among the 40 killed in the January 1 blaze at Le Constellation, a bar in the upscale resort in Switzerland’s southwestern Wallis canton, while several Italians were among the 116 wounded.

Most of those impacted by the fire were Swiss, but a total of 19 nationalities were among the dead and injured.

Rome had recalled its ambassador to Switzerland on Saturday, and on Monday said he would not return to Bern until Italy gets effective judicial cooperation and the establishment of a joint investigation team.

Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice said it had been informed on Friday that the Wallis public prosecutor’s office had accepted the request.

“Because Italian citizens were also affected by the fire disaster in Crans-Montana, the Italian judiciary is obliged to open criminal proceedings,” the justice ministry in Bern told AFP.

The Wallis public prosecutor’s office decided to grant Rome access to the case “and thus support the Italian judiciary in its investigations”, the ministry said.

An initial technical meeting between the criminal authorities of both countries will take place in mid-February.

“The aim is to clarify the details of the cooperation, and to coordinate the procedures,” said the ministry.

Month on from tragedy

No other foreign requests for mutual legal assistance have been received to date in this case, a Swiss justice ministry spokeswoman told AFP.

Four people are under criminal investigation in the case: the bar’s co-owners, the Crans-Montana municipality’s current head of public safety and a former Crans-Montana fire safety officer.

Sunday marks one month since the disaster, and comes as Crans-Montana, in muted fashion, hosts the final Swiss round of the 2025-2026 Alpine Ski World Cup.

A delegation from the Italian women’s Alpine skiing team gathered on Wednesday in front of Le Constellation, laying a bouquet of flowers before observing a minute of silence.

People injured in the blaze were airlifted to specialist hospital burns units in Switzerland and elsewhere. Most of those hurt remain in various hospitals.

Switzerland’s Federal Office for Civil Protection told AFP on Friday that at its last count, 44 were being treated abroad, including 12 still in hospital in Italy.

AFP