The tragic fire at the La Constellation bar in Crans-Montana resulted in the loss of 40 lives and injured 116 others, leading to dismay when officials disclosed that safety inspections had not been conducted for five years.
During a recent press conference, Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud admitted he struggled to explain the lack of inspection but conveyed the council's profound sorrow: We regret that - we owe it to the families and we will accept the responsibility.
Feraud noted that sparklers, believed to have ignited the blaze, would be banned in local venues henceforth. Additionally, external contractors would be brought in to inspect and audit all 128 establishments in the area.
When pressed about the reasons for the five-year lapse in inspections, Feraud acknowledged the overwhelming workload of five inspectors overseeing more than 10,000 buildings while the village councils had recently merged into a larger authority, Crans Montana in 2016. He stated, I have no answer for you today, acknowledging the pain that this lapse in safety has caused to the victims' families.
Despite the outcry, Feraud maintained he would not resign and declared, It will be down to the judges to know whether we'll be part of this case or not, referring to the ongoing criminal investigation as Swiss prosecutors examine the incident.
