Are Champagne Bottles Behind 40 Deaths on New Year?

About 40 partygoers were killed and more than 100 others injured after an unidentified blast ripped through Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland just before the start of New Year.

The unfortunate incident has sent spills down the spine for people across the globe because it was initially suspected to be a terrorist attack. However, the investigation authorities later ruled out any such possibility and launched a deep probe to ascertain the reasons behind the sudden inferno.

While the death toll mounted to 40 on Friday , officials predicted that the fire had likely been started accidentally by fireworks or sparklers emanating from Champagne bottles during the party. Beatrice Pilloud, the prosecutor-general of the Valais canton in southwestern Switzerland, told reporters: “Everything leads us to think that the fire was started by sparklers or fireworks placed in champagne bottles and placed too close to the ceiling.”

But, this is just a speculation and the exact reason for the blaze will be known only after the investigation process gets completed.

113 of those injured in this accident have been formally identified including 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French and 11 Italians. The police authorities say that formal identification for those killed is still continuing as some bodies are yet to be claimed by their families.

The Swiss authorities have deployed 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances at the blast site. More ⁠than 100 people were ⁠in the bar at the time of the explosion and many of them feared dead on spot due to the magnitude of the blast.