Switzerland to Cooperate With Italy in Crans-Montana Fire Probe

A tarp outside of Le Constellation, where a fire ripped through the venue during New Year's Eve celebrations in the Alpine ski resort town of Crans-Montana.Photographer: Maxime Schmid/AFP/Getty Images

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By Isabel Demetz, Paula Doenecke, and Fergal O'Brien

January 29, 2026 at 5:13 PM UTC

Updated on

January 30, 2026 at 6:27 PM UTC

Swiss prosecutors agreed to cooperate with Italian investigators in the probe of a bar fire that killed 40 people and injured more than 100 in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, potentially easing diplomatic tension with Italy.

Prosecutors in the Swiss canton of Valais decided Friday to offer legal assistance to the prosecutors’ office in Rome, including sharing evidence already collected, Switzerland’s federal Justice Ministry said in an email. Criminal authorities of the two countries will hold initial technical-level talks in mid-February, according to the statement.