Hundreds join Memorial Mass for Swiss bar fire victims

(MENAFN) In the snow-covered streets outside St Christopher’s Church, hundreds gathered on Sunday for a special Mass commemorating the victims of the New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar.

Many embraced one another, quietly weeping as they remembered those killed and those still hospitalized with severe burns.

During the service, some mourners were overcome with emotion and fainted. All 40 victims have now been identified, though their names have not been publicly released. Families, some of whom had held out hope that their loved ones might have survived, were confronted with the devastating news.

Laetitia Brodard, who had been sharing posts online searching for her teenage son Arthur, confirmed at the service that he had died in the fire. On Facebook, she described him as having “gone to party in paradise.” Forensics teams had to rely on DNA and dental records to identify the victims, as many bodies were severely burned. Some injured survivors remain unconscious and unrecognizable.

The bar had been crowded with young people, many just teenagers, reflecting Switzerland’s legal drinking age of 16. After the Mass, some survivors joined a silent procession from the church to the site of the tragedy. The bar remains cordoned off, but a growing shrine of flowers, soft toys, and handwritten notes with photographs has formed outside.

A moment of applause erupted when firefighters and rescue workers arrived at the memorial, visibly grieving for those they were unable to save. For the people of Crans, they are revered as heroes.

Local fire commander David Vocat, who had considered leaving the service after the traumatic events, described the bond formed with his colleagues: “I need them, and they need me. All my thoughts are for the victims and their families. I am so sorry.” Teenagers who witnessed the fire recounted the terrifying scenes, saying they would never forget what they saw.

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