40 dead in one night: what the Crans-Montana bar tragedy teaches us about the Crans-Montana tragedy

On the night of 1 January 2026, one of the most tragic fires of recent years occurred in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana. As a result of the fire in the bar Le Constellation, 40 people died, 116 more were injured, many of them seriously.

According to the preliminary version of the investigation, the fire broke out after Bengal lights on champagne bottles were too close to the ceiling and ignited elements of the interior. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities emphasise that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions about personal responsibility.

However, safety experts note that such tragedies are important not only from the point of view of finding those responsible, but also as a signal of systemic vulnerabilities in fire prevention.

Fire as a "chain reaction", not an accident

Experts emphasise that fire is not an isolated incident, but a process that spreads according to the principle of chain reaction. Historian and fire researcher Stephen Pyne compares fire to an infection: it spreads through the available "fuel", accelerates under favourable conditions and gets out of control when several risk factors coincide.

Effective fire safety is not based on spark prevention per se - it is impossible to completely eliminate sources of fire - but on a multi-layered defence system. This includes non-combustible materials, early detection, room separation, fire extinguishing systems and trained personnel. Catastrophes occur when several layers of defence fail at once.

the "Swiss cheese model": why systems fail

To explain such tragedies, experts use the so-called Rison model, known as the "Swiss cheese model." Each layer of defence is a "slice of cheese" with holes: hidden vulnerabilities, human error, compromises due to budget or staff fatigue.

As long as these "holes" don't line up, the system works. But when they line up, even a small incident leads to disaster. The spark in this case is not the cause of the tragedy, but the moment when all the weaknesses aligned.

Holidays increase risks

Experts pay special attention to the fact that the fire occurred during the New Year celebrations. The festive atmosphere significantly changes the perception of risks: a large number of people, alcohol, temporary decorations, non-standard solutions "for one evening", reduced vigilance.

It is during such periods that hidden risks accumulate the fastest and the margin of safety is sharply reduced.

Lessons from Notre Dame: when defences are in place, but they don't work

Experts draw parallels with the 2019 Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris. Despite state-of-the-art detection systems, patrols and trained personnel, the fire still got out of control due to a chain of small failures: misinterpretation of signals, staff fatigue, delay in calling the fire brigade and the building's structural features.

This case showed that even well-protected facilities are vulnerable if the system loses clarity and discipline.

When security becomes "invisible"

According to international organisations, the number of fires in developed countries has fallen significantly in recent decades thanks to technology and regulations. But it is this rarity of major fires that creates the illusion of safety.

Over time, doors are left open, materials are replaced with cheaper ones, alarms are perceived as "false" and redundant measures are seen as unnecessary. As a result, the system imperceptibly degrades.

The main conclusion

The tragedy in Switzerland is a reminder that fires become deadly not because of a single mistake, but because of a loss of a systematic approach to safety. We know how to prevent the spread of fire, but over time we stop taking the risk seriously.

Experts emphasise that fire safety requires constant attention to detail - especially when "nothing bad seems to be happening".