Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud revealed in a press conference that while fire safety inspections were carried out in 2016, 2018, and 2019, no such evaluations took place from 2020 to 2025. “We deeply regret this oversight,” he stated.

In a formal statement, the municipality acknowledged, “The courts will establish how this lapse contributed to the tragic sequence of events. We are prepared to take full accountability as determined by the judicial system.”

“What was once a venue for celebration has tragically turned into a scene of horror and fear,” Feraud remarked.

Photographs captured by the owners during 2015 renovations—alterations that, according to the municipality, “did not necessitate a permit”—showed that soundproofing foam had been adhered to the ceiling since that time.

LISTEN TO