Swiss Memorial for Fire Victims Catches Fire After Being Set Up to Honor the Fallen. A memorial set up in honor of the 41 people killed and 115 injured in a deadly New Year's Eve fire at a ski resort bar in Switzerland went up in flames early Sunday morning, according to police.
The makeshift tribute, which had been adorned with candles, flowers, and messages of condolence near the site of the tragedy, was likely caused by a candle that got lit inside the memorial. Investigators believe the fire started after champagne bottles with sparklers were raised too close to a ceiling in the bar crowded with revellers, igniting sound insulation foam.
Regional police said thanks to rapid emergency services intervention, the fire was quickly brought under control and no one was injured, although several commemorative objects were damaged by the flames. However, an investigation into what caused the blaze has been opened, with charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence facing the French couple who co-owned the bar.
In a bitter twist, family members of those who died in the fire expressed outrage at the news that the memorial had caught on fire, saying it was the municipality's responsibility to ensure a secure tribute. The tragedy remains a major controversy, with criticism of local and regional authorities' handling of the crisis and investigation still lingering.
The makeshift tribute, which had been adorned with candles, flowers, and messages of condolence near the site of the tragedy, was likely caused by a candle that got lit inside the memorial. Investigators believe the fire started after champagne bottles with sparklers were raised too close to a ceiling in the bar crowded with revellers, igniting sound insulation foam.
Regional police said thanks to rapid emergency services intervention, the fire was quickly brought under control and no one was injured, although several commemorative objects were damaged by the flames. However, an investigation into what caused the blaze has been opened, with charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence facing the French couple who co-owned the bar.
In a bitter twist, family members of those who died in the fire expressed outrage at the news that the memorial had caught on fire, saying it was the municipality's responsibility to ensure a secure tribute. The tragedy remains a major controversy, with criticism of local and regional authorities' handling of the crisis and investigation still lingering.
can u even imagine how those families are struggling rn? i mean i get that the cops & municipality r tryin to figure out whats goin on but manslaughter charges seem way too lenient dont know what's more disturbing - the fact that someone died or that memorial catchin fire like it was an accident 
It's a shame that the focus has shifted from honoring the victims to scrutinizing the owners of the bar, but I believe it's essential to hold them accountable for their actions. 
The investigation into manslaughter and arson charges sends a crucial message about the importance of safety protocols in public spaces. 
It's also puzzling that the municipality wasn't better prepared to prevent such an incident from occurring in the first place, leaving many wondering if there were red flags ignored or warnings disregarded. 
. And to make matters worse, there are charges facing the owners of the bar... like, what kind of negligence is that? You'd think they'd be taking extra precautions after something like this happened. The family members are right, it's the municipality's responsibility to make sure things stay safe and secure. This whole thing just feels like a huge mess 
.
! It's like fate is just trolling us at this point. I mean, I get it, candles are a bad idea, and we all know the risks of sparklers. But come on, how hard can it be to keep an eye on a candle when you're trying to pay your respects? 
this is so messed up... a memorial for the victims catching fire just shows how fragile life can be... all those candles and flowers meant to honor the fallen, yet they were actually the cause of the fire... 
The police say it was probably a candle that started the fire, but still... how could this happen? 
The family members are really upset, and I don't blame them at all 
It's just so senseless 
And for those who died in the fire, I want to say that you will never be forgotten 
. I mean, can you even imagine how painful this must be for them? The investigation is still going on, but it's just a reminder that there's still so much work to be done in terms of holding people accountable for their actions 
. Anyway, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost loved ones 
shouldn't they've been more careful with everything? like, candles, flowers, messages... all these things are supposed to be emotional and respectful but instead you're putting people at risk. 
It's not like they didn't warn people about the fire risks or something. And now family members are freaking out because it was supposed to be their tribute... the municipality should've been more careful with this one, fam 
it's like the universe is still trying to take away their lives from them. and the worst part is, family members of the victims are so upset that the municipalty messed up. i think they should focus on finding out what really happened instead of pointing fingers. 
we need more compassion in this world. 
. It's not like they meant to do it, but still... it's a huge wake-up call for all of us to be more mindful and responsible when it comes to our actions 
. We need to focus on supporting each other, especially during times like these 
.