Mourners collect at mass for Swiss bar hearth victims

[ad_1] Sarah Rainsford Southern and Jap Europe correspondent, Crans Montana

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/105d/live/6cf342a0-e981-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters Women hold hands at a makeshift memorial outside the Le Constellation bar" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters Laetitia Brodard, whose teenage son Arthur died within the hearth, was comforted by associates

Within the snow-dusted avenue exterior St Christopher's Church, tons of joined a particular Sunday Mass for the victims of the hearth that tore by way of Le Constellation bar on New 12 months's Eve.

Many hugged one another, crying quietly, as they remembered the handfuls killed and people nonetheless in hospital with extreme burns, preventing for his or her lives.

Throughout the service, a number of within the crowd fainted and fell to the bottom, overcome.

All 40 of the lifeless have now been recognized, though not named publicly. Their our bodies are being returned to their households, a few of whom who had been holding on to the hope their kids would possibly but be discovered - injured, however alive.

They're now receiving the worst doable information.

Ever for the reason that hearth, Laetitia Brodard had been posting photos of her teenage son Arthur on-line and interesting for assist to seek out him. On Sunday, she was on the memorial service, being comforted by associates.

"He died that first day," Laetitia confirmed to me.

In an emotional assertion on Fb, she mentioned that Arthur had "gone to social gathering in paradise".

The victims' our bodies have been so badly burned by the hearth they're troublesome to establish. Even a few of these injured and in hospitals have not been named but - they continue to be unconscious and unrecognisable.

For the lifeless, forensics specialists are having to make use of DNA samples and dental information, and for the households the wait is agonising.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/dabd/live/adec9a30-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="EPA Mourners gather around flowers and candles to commemorate the victims of the fire at the "Le Constellation" bar" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> EPA Mourners gathered round a shrine of flowers and candles

The bar was packed filled with younger people who night time, lots of them simply youngsters. The ingesting age in Switzerland is 16.

Among the survivors joined a silent procession after the Sunday Mass from the church in direction of the bar itself. Above, within the stunningly lovely Swiss Alps, cable automobiles went on sliding up the mountain carrying vacationers to ski.

The positioning of the hearth remains to be screened off behind white plastic sheets, however in entrance of it are heaps of flowers and comfortable toys at a shrine that retains rising.

Among the many bouquets, there are handwritten notes with names and pictures.

At one level, the group burst into applause: a big group of firefighters and rescue employees in uniform had reached the memorial and stood arm in arm, sobbing for these they could not save.

For the folks of Crans, they're heroes.

The native hearth commander - who thought of leaving his job after what he skilled right here - informed us he and his colleagues have been now a large household.

"I would like them, and so they want me," David Vocat mentioned, very tearful. "All my ideas are for the victims and their households. I'm so sorry."

We have spoken to youngsters who noticed folks working from the burning bar and describe horrific scenes they are saying they'll always remember.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/447a/live/5cd21ee0-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="SUPPLIED Video from inside the bar appears to show the moment the ceiling covering caught fire

" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> SUPPLIED Video from contained in the bar seems to point out the second the ceiling masking caught hearth

A felony investigation has now been opened. The bar house owners, a French couple, are suspected of killing and inflicting arson and bodily hurt by way of negligence.

Police and prosecutors have been inspecting photos filmed inside Le Constellation that present the second the hearth began, with bar employees carried on others' shoulders, delivering champagne bottles with sparklers hooked up.

The sparks seem to set hearth to the ceiling, which was coated with foam for soundproofing, and the flames unfold in a short time.

Investigators will look at whether or not the froth and different supplies met security requirements.

They are going to look into doable overcrowding, entry to emergency exits from the basement and whether or not there have been hearth extinguishers.

Some movies present youngsters attempting, hopelessly, to place the hearth out with their T-shirts. Initially, many did not realise the immense hazard and went on dancing and even filming the hearth, as an alternative of fleeing.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/58da/live/fbc3d160-e982-11f0-9d55-758d47cc7ae3.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="EPA A young man in a black puffer coat takes a plant to the shrine " class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> EPA Youngsters have described horrific scenes they are saying they'll always remember

On Sunday, a gaggle of males - some with their faces coated in black scarves - fashioned a semi-circle to recollect one man killed on the bar which locals name "Stefi".

"We're right here for our colleague," one among them mentioned, struggling to talk. "Stefi was his ultimate path. Might he now relaxation in peace."

"It was essential to be right here, with the households. We won't change issues, we will solely be right here," Diana mentioned, after praying hand-in-hand with two different girls for a gaggle of associates who're nonetheless in hospital.