Authorities in Switzerland have opened a criminal investigation into the managers of a bar that erupted into flames during a New Year’s party, leaving 40 people dead. Two unnamed managers of Le Constellation bar in the resort town of Crans-Montana are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm, and involuntarily causing a fire, authorities said Saturday, according to the Associated Press. Beatrice Pilloud, chief prosecutor in the Valais region, said the investigation opened Friday night would “help explore all the leads” for how the devastating fire occurred. The fire broke out at the nightclub around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, injuring over 100 people in addition to the 40 lives lost. Many of the bar’s patrons were in their teens to mid-20s, police said. The fire is believed to have been caused by sparkling candles placed atop champagne bottles that ignited when placed too close to the basement club’s ceiling, investigators said Friday. “In a matter of seconds, the entire ceiling was ablaze. Everything was made of wood,” two eyewitnesses told France’s BFMTV.
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