The Swiss canton of Valais has banned pyrotechnic devices in all indoor public venues following the devastating fire at a bar on New Year's Eve where 40 people were killed and 116 were injured. Authorities said each of the victims would get a 10,000 franc ($12,500; £9,200) emergency payment, with a fund being set up to collect donations.
The canton of Geneva also announced a ban on pyrotechnics in indoor venues - days after Vaud became the first of Switzerland's 26 regions to take such a decision.
The blaze at Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana is believed to have started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles set light to sound-insulating foam padding on the ceiling. Authorities have acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety checks for five years.
The two co-owners of Le Constellation, French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, have been accused of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. Jacques Moretti is being held in custody for an initial period of 90 days, while his wife must report to police every day.
The discovery that the bar had not been inspected for five years has shocked the families of the victims, nearly all of whom were young. Eight of the deceased were under the age of 16. Many of the injured suffer from severe burns, with eighty still hospitalized in Switzerland and other European countries.
One of the lawyers representing the victims' families mentioned a newly launched online platform for testimonies related to the disaster, dedicated to aiding the ongoing investigation.
Among the casualties was a waitress named Cyane Panine, 24, who followed her employers' instructions during the chaotic incident. Her family has expressed that she was not responsible for the tragic events, emphasizing her compliance with management directives.
The canton of Geneva also announced a ban on pyrotechnics in indoor venues - days after Vaud became the first of Switzerland's 26 regions to take such a decision.
The blaze at Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana is believed to have started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles set light to sound-insulating foam padding on the ceiling. Authorities have acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety checks for five years.
The two co-owners of Le Constellation, French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, have been accused of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. Jacques Moretti is being held in custody for an initial period of 90 days, while his wife must report to police every day.
The discovery that the bar had not been inspected for five years has shocked the families of the victims, nearly all of whom were young. Eight of the deceased were under the age of 16. Many of the injured suffer from severe burns, with eighty still hospitalized in Switzerland and other European countries.
One of the lawyers representing the victims' families mentioned a newly launched online platform for testimonies related to the disaster, dedicated to aiding the ongoing investigation.
Among the casualties was a waitress named Cyane Panine, 24, who followed her employers' instructions during the chaotic incident. Her family has expressed that she was not responsible for the tragic events, emphasizing her compliance with management directives.
