Perhaps but TIS..
The story is already off page 1, except for the victims countries. Delay and defer.
A journalist made a review of the laws and regulations in Valais, here in FR, translation below:
Fire safety in public buildings is based on a shared responsibility between the building owner and the operator, but with distinct roles. The Valais Law on Protection against Fire and Natural Elements (LPIEN) establishes a general principle: âEveryone must take appropriate measures to prevent fires and limit their consequences,â particularly for the installation and operation of premises open to the public (Art. 6 LPIEN).
There are 3 actors: building owner, business owner (bar/club in this case) and municipal/cantonal authorities:
The building owner is responsible for the structural and long-term safety of the building: compliant design, fire protection and suppression systems appropriate to the intended use of the premises (Art. 7 LPIEN), and compliance during renovations or before commissioning. These obligations relate in particular to emergency exits, staircases, compartmentation, fire doors, emergency lighting, and smoke extraction systems, and cannot be waived by a lease agreement.
The building operator, on the other hand, is responsible for safety related to the actual, day-to-day use of the premises. They must respect the maximum permitted capacity, keep emergency exits clear and usable, operate the premises in accordance with their intended use, and implement the approved fire protection plan. These obligations are specified in the Ordinance on Preventive Measures against Fire (OMPIC, RS 540.102).
The cantonal and municipal authorities responsible for fire protection (fire department or cantonal inspectorate) must carry out periodic inspections, and inspections before commissioning or in special circumstances, in accordance with Articles 8 and 9 of the LPIEN (Federal Law on the Protection of the Environment). Inspection reports are sent to the relevant municipal administration or cantonal department.
The fire police (cantonal) evaluates a place and estimates the max capacity. The municipal authorities are in charge of ensuring the max capacity is respected:
The maximum occupancy capacity is neither a commercial nor a political decision: it is a technical fire safety requirement. The specific criteria for determining capacity, in particular the area accessible to the public, the number and width of emergency exits, evacuation distances, the layout of the premises, and existing protective measures, are derived from the Ordinance on Preventive Fire Measures, which specifies that safety installations are sized, among other things, according to the number of people and evacuation distances (Art. 7). An acceptance inspection is required for the operating permit and is the subject of a report (Art. 9).
Based on this inspection, the fire department, under the authority of the Cantonal Fire Office, assesses and technically validates the occupancy capacity, which the municipality then incorporates into the operating permit. The municipality cannot increase this capacity without a new fire safety inspection.
Since authorities remain mum, wellâŠthe journalist has to answer the question about who issues the business operating license. Itâs the municipal council:
In ordinary circumstances, meaning outside of special events or exceptional authorizations, the operation of a bar or public establishment is subject to an operating permit issued by the municipality where it is located. The municipal council acts as the implementing authority, based on cantonal law.
The legal framework is established by the Valais Law on Trade Regulations (RS/VS 930.1), which defines the activities subject to authorization and the division of responsibilities between municipalities and the canton. For bars, cafés, and restaurants, the specific operating conditions fall under the Law on Accommodation, Catering, and the Retail Sale of Alcoholic Beverages (LHR), which stipulates that the operating permit is granted by the municipality, provided that the legal and practical requirements are met.
The establishment must operate within the limits of its approved capacity, particularly with regard to fire safety. The operation of the business is overseen jointly by the municipality, as the authority that issues the permit, and by the canton, through the Department of Industry, Commerce and Labour, which is responsible for commercial oversight.
Itâs clear that the club operator has huge liability. Somehow municipal and cantonal authorities did not see anything over ten years. I donât believe authorities were working for a foreigner with a criminal record (club operator). An investigation is seriously needed. Weâll see if other cantons leave Valais politicians cover up everything or push for a real investigation.
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It may be off the front pages soon enough, today it is all about Venezuela, but the families of all those victims will not give up and will pursue this matter to the bitter end
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From that article:
Following the devastating fire at the âLe Constellationâ bar in Crans-Montana, which claimed the lives of at least 40 people on New Yearâs Day, the couple who ran the bar are increasingly at the centre of the investigation. Survivors had expressed massive criticism of the safety conditions in the bar early on. On Friday, Jacques and Jessica M. were questioned by the authorities.
As the French newspaper âLe Parisienâ reports, Jacques M. has been known to law enforcement authorities in France for decades. He is said to have been involved in cases of pimping around 30 years ago. He also served a prison sentence in Savoie, France, around 20 years ago for fraud, kidnapping and deprivation of liberty
A police source told the newspaper that [M. had not been involved in organized crime since then. The convictions at the time were a long time ago, but now remain part of the public debate surrounding the Crans-Montana accident.
Iâve just seen on TV the scene when the fire was spreading over the ceiling but the audience just streamed it with smartphones like a good show. Truly shocking. I donât believe it was due to the alcohol. I bet they really had no idea how fire spreads, which is surprising to me. In every town/village Iâve been living here thereâs a local fire brigade association. Donât they do lectures for school children? I had one (practical) in primary school 
We were shown how a small fire put in a corner in a training facility quickly and surprisingly builds up the temperature and smoke up the ceiling.
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This is a bit off topic and also not important, but Iâm just curious; if you were injured in a fire, would your health care be paid by accident or health insurance?
Accident
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ATM and despite Venezuela it is sstill the number 1 story on the Tagi, Blick and 20 Minuten. NZZ and SRF have pushed it to number 2 but still with a lot of coverage. So no.
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The fact that they were streaming it is sick,sick,sick.
A day of national mourning will be organised on Friday in memory of the victims of the fire in Crans-Montana, Guy Parmelin announced in the Sunday press. The church bells will ring at 2:00 p.m., when a funeral ceremony will begin in the resort.
Iâm taking my class to ski camp next month and went to check out our accommodation. The owner told me that the hostel we were originally supposed to stay in was shut down after a December inspection because it didnât meet fire safety standards, so weâll be staying somewhere else. It sounds like there are places are being closed after inspections.
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What about the staff that first ignited the ceiling and then tried to put out a fire with towels instead of fire extinguisher that was hanging behind the bar and no-one instructed the guests to leave immediately. Also they knew that an emergency exit was locked and blocked by the sofa, and not only they never reported this fact but also conducted âfire showsâ in the room with only one narrow exit full of drunk youth.
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They are under the umbrella of business owner/operator. The sparkles thingies were part of the business operation.
But, wait minâŠwas there an additional emergency exit? Blocked by furniture?
It would lead you to believe that the staff had no fire safety training and just blindly did as they were told to do.
Itâs a matter of common sense to know that holding a lighted sparkler so close to the ceiling is a bad idea and it was their own lives they were putting at risk as well.
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And what was a 14 year old doing in a bar?
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This is something that Iâve always felt was important and have drummed into the kids.
Wherever you go always check out your surroundings and make sure you know where all the exit routes are, itâs something that could ultimately save your life.
It was something we learned in scout leader training too as part of risk assessment and we taught to the scouts.
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Ridiculous. Late night bars/clubs should ID on the door like in the UK.
They were featured in their promotional material.
What are you on about?
Iâve been in bars with my kids when they were younger than 14.
We watched a world cup match in a bar when one was twelve.
This isnât Facebook. Plenty more inane comments there.
There is a difference between watching football in a bar with your parent and being in a bar that is more like a nightclub with a load of drunk people on NYE (most likely without a parent).
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Even without the mix of alcohol, young people, even with training, do stupid things.
Expecting 16 year olds out on the town having a good to be aware of their surroundings and do a risk assessment is just not realistic.
Thatâs a job for the adults running the place and the inspectors confirming that the safety standards are met and continue to be met.
With all the exploits I got up to at that age, Iâm surprised I got through to my twenties. Some of my contemporaries didnât.
Now Iâm older, Iâm one of those people who, when in a hotel, check the viability of the fire escape stairs by actually using them and finding out where they actually go and also count the door frames to the stair access door from my room so I can get out in the dark.
Iâve been in one hotel fire (small) but evacuating in the middle of the night in winter is quite disorientating.
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