Emotional March of 2,000 Pays Tribute to 40 Lives Lost in Swiss Ski Bar Fire

MORE THAN 2,000 mourners walked in silence through the Swiss ski resort where 40 partygoers were killed in a New Year bar inferno.

The poignant procession in the alpine town of Crans-Montana followed an emotional church service in memory of the dead.

The local community in Crans Montana came to gather in a church service before walking silently up the hill to the scene of the fireCredit: Doug Seeburg Firefighters mourn at a makeshift memorial outside the “Le Constellation” barCredit: Reuters The Swiss national flag at the Federal Palace is flown at half-mast Bern, the country’s capitalCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

They filled the Chapel St Christophe and poured onto the streets outside to watch on big screens as .

said the youngest was just 14-years-old. A further eight were all under the age of 18.

So far, 24 of the 40 victims have now been formally identified as officers continue to work round the clock using and dental records.

Grief-stricken mum Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, who spent days searching for her missing son, Arthur, 16, said he was among them.

She said: “Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise.

What we know so far…

• The couple who run the bar
• is among the dead
• A former waitress claimed the
• The bar owner would
• Moment waitress waves sparkler before fire
• Teen tells how he ran back in to save victims

“We can start our mourning, knowing that he is in peace and in the light.”

Promising Swiss boxer Benjamin Johnson, 18, and bouncer Stefan Ivanović, 31, who helped save several revellers from the flames, were also named among the dead.

Bishop Jean Marie Lovey broke down in tears as he told the congregation of a message he received from Pope Leo in the wake of the shocking tragedy.

The Pope said he would pray for the victims of the fire, the 119 being treated in hospital and the families searching for answers.

Bishop Lovey said: “This drama and so many others shake our faith.

“We feel small and fragile, powerless in the face of the suffering of this tragedy.

“There is no word strong enough to express the suffering of the victims, the families, their loved ones.

“There is no word strong enough to express the despair, the anguish, the anger.

“And yet we are here, gathered, because silence alone is not enough.

“It is unbearable for so many families, so many people, to remain in the darkness of suffering, of death.”

Mourners young and old wiped tears from their eyes during the hour-long service as flags outside flew at half mast.

One woman inside the church listened intently, her hands clasped tightly, as speakers delivered readings in German, French and Italian.

The crowd then slowly walked in silence from the church towards the makeshift shrine set up in the shadow of Le Constellation bar to pay their respects.

The exterior of the “Le Constellation” bar is covered after the New Year fire and explosionCredit: Reuters Mourners observe floral tributes to the victims on the site of the fireCredit: EPA 16-year-old Chiara Costanzo is among the deadCredit: Il Corriere della Sera Emanuele Galeppini, a 17-year-old golf prodigy was named as the first victimCredit: Facebook

Some cradled floral bouquets as the procession made its way beneath blue skies and bright sunlight.

The silence was only broken by spontaneous applause for the firefighters who fought the flames as they joined them up the hill.

At the shrine the swelling crowds stood still, many of them weeping.

One local said: “We are going through a moment of crushing darkness but we are going through it together.”

The bar’s French owners, , are under formal criminal for manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence.

The police probe will focus on which saw acoustic insulation foam fitted to the ceiling of the basement where the fire began.

Champagne sparklers held aloft by waitresses at 1:30am on New Year’s Day ignited the material – creating a flashover fire which engulfed the entire venue within seconds.

The police probe will also seek to identify the use of fire extinguishers, emergency exits and other firefighting equipment on the premises.

One former waitress .

The Morettis – who – bought Le Constellation 10 years ago and began renovating the bar.

The fire is believed to have been started by champagne sparklersCredit: BFM/Twitter A video shows the early moments of the bar blazeCredit: Unpixs Bar owners Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40, face manslaughter chargesCredit: X

Pictures showed them overseeing refurbishment work before its grand reopening in 2015.

Others captured the moment the acoustic insulation foam at the centre of the fire was applied to the ceiling of the basement.

Jessica, 40, is believed to have suffered burns to her arm in the fire, whilst 49-year-old Jacques was working at another of their venues nearby.

She messaged a pal in the hours that followed to say she was alive – before describing the disaster as “Hell”.

Swiss attorney general Beatrice Pilloud said: “We will also focus on the number of people who were present at the party, the number of people that the bar is authorized to host, the exit routes and the access routes into the premises.”