Kebakaran Bar Di Swiss Yang Tewaskan 40 Orang Diduga Karena Lilin

SWITZERLAND, Switzerland – Investigators said Friday they believe a sparkling candle atop a Champagne bottle sparked a fatal fire at a Swiss ski resort when it got too close to the ceiling of a bar packed with New Year’s partygoers.

Authorities plan to investigate whether the sound-dampening material in the ceiling complies with regulations and whether candles, which emit sparks upward, are permitted to be used in the bar.

Forty people were killed and 119 others injured in a fire early Thursday when flames swept through the crowded Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort, authorities said.

Officials said they would also inspect other safety measures at the site, including fire extinguishers and evacuation routes. The Attorney General for the Valais region warned of potential prosecution if criminal liability is found.

According to Frédéric Gisler, commander of the Valais cantonal police, the injured included 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French citizens, and 11 Italian citizens, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. The nationalities of the other 14 people were not immediately clear. (AP)