Switzerland said on Wednesday (25 February) it would make a one-off payment of 50,000 Swiss francs ($56,000) to each severely injured survivor and to the bereaved families of those killed in the New Year bar fire at the ski resort of Crans-Montana.
The so-called “solidarity contribution” is intended to provide swift financial support to victims and to serve as a gesture of compassion, the Federal Council said in a statement.
In principle, the payment will apply to the family of each person who lost their life, as well as to every individual who was hospitalised as a result of the blaze.
“The Federal Council shares the victims’ and their families’ desire for truth and justice,” Swiss President Guy Parmelin told a press conference.
“We too want to know what happened, why it happened and how it could have been prevented.”
Witnesses and prosecutors said the fire appeared to have been caused by sparkling candles that ignited foam soundproofing on the bar’s basement ceiling.
In total, the federal government will provide 7.8 million francs for 156 people most severely affected by the fire, Justice Minister Beat Jans said. The sum will complement aid from the resort’s home canton of Valais, which has pledged 10 million francs to a foundation set up to support the victims.
Swiss authorities said 41 people died in the fire and 115 people were injured. Most of those who died were teenagers, and many of the victims were foreign nationals, including several from France and Italy.
The Federal Council said it will convene a roundtable to help victims, insurers and authorities reach out-of-court settlements, potentially avoiding lengthy legal battles. Up to 20 million francs has been allocated for this purpose.
The government also plans to allocate a further 8.5 million francs to assist affected cantons with extraordinary costs.
The measures follow an analysis by the Federal Office of Justice, which identified gaps in existing support systems. These systems, primarily designed for individual cases, have struggled to cope with large-scale disasters.
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