In a compassionate gesture on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV convened with approximately two dozen family members of Italian teenagers affected by the devastating New Year's Eve blaze at a Swiss ski resort bar. The pontiff departed from his prepared speech to address the families directly after learning of their wish for a personal audience, recognizing the depth of their sorrow and the spiritual challenge posed by such tragedy.
"I desired, at the very least, to share a moment with you during this period marked by immense pain and suffering, which tests our faith and beliefs," the Pope expressed during the Vatican gathering. Following this meeting, the families proceeded to engage with Italian government officials, who reiterated their demand for a thorough investigation and accountability concerning the catastrophic fire that occurred at the Le Constellation bar at the Crans-Montana resort in southwestern Switzerland.
The fire tragically resulted in 40 fatalities, primarily young people, along with 116 injuries. Among the deceased and injured, six and thirteen respectively were Italian citizens, drawing significant attention and empathy throughout Italy from both the public and governmental figures. Although acknowledging the limits of his words to alleviate such sorrow, Pope Leo emphasized reliance on faith as a source of light during the darkest times.
"Faith present within us shines an irreplaceable light on the bleakest and most painful periods of our lives, sustaining our courage as we proceed toward our eventual purpose," he affirmed.
Initial investigations suggest that the fire originated from sparkling candles that were placed too near the ceiling, which was covered with soundproofing material, igniting the blaze. Legal proceedings have begun with Swiss authorities suspecting the bar’s owners of involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and negligence in causing the fire. Meanwhile, French and Italian prosecutors have initiated their own inquiries.
To better support the families and safeguard their interests, Italy is preparing to formally join the Swiss judicial probe as a civil party. This legal status would grant Italy access to court documents and enable it to aid its citizens in navigating the Swiss legal system, which lies outside the European Union's judicial cooperation framework. Senior Italian official Alfredo Mantovano highlighted the importance of unified representation for Italy and its affected nationals.
Furthermore, Italy plans to request the involvement of the European Commission as a civil party to strengthen this stance, particularly considering the substantial financial aid the Italian Government has allocated to assist victims and their kin. Alessandro Vaccaro, attorney for one victim’s family, praised the government's efforts and underscored that presenting a consolidated front was vital given Switzerland's non-membership in the European Economic Community. He stressed that the primary objective remains establishing the factual circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, recently briefed lawmakers describing the incident as an "open wound" for the nation and insisted on pursuing "complete clarity" concerning what he characterized as evident negligence leading to this disaster.