Swiss bar where 40 people died on New Year's Eve had not been inspected for five years
Bengal fires, which are believed to have caused the blaze, will be banned in local entertainment venues.
Photo: Valais Cantonal Police via Getty Images
A Swiss bar where a fire killed 40 people and injured 116 had not undergone safety inspections for five years, authorities say, writes the BBC.
Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud said at a press conference on Tuesday that he could not explain why La Constellation bar had not been inspected for so long, but stressed that the city council "deeply regrets" what happened.
"We regret this — we owe it to the families and will take responsibility," he said.
Feraud added that Bengal fires, which are believed to have caused the blaze, will be banned in local entertainment venues.
Local authorities will also hire an external contractor to inspect and audit all 128 establishments in the region. He acknowledged that a team of five people had inspected more than 10,000 buildings and explained that in 2016, four village councils merged into one larger governmental body — Crans-Montana.
Answering numerous questions about why the bar had not been inspected for so long, Feraud said: "Today I have no answer."
"We deeply regret this and understand how difficult it will be for the families."
"I'm not going to resign — no, and I don't want to," he added later.
He also noted that "it will be up to the court" to decide whether the city government becomes a party in the criminal investigation launched by Swiss prosecutors.
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