Swiss parliament approves compensation for Crans-Montana bar fire victims

The Swiss lower house of parliament on Monday approved plans to make a one-off payment of 50,000 Swiss francs ($64,000) to survivors and bereaved families of a New Year bar fire at a ski resort that killed 41 people and injured 115.

The so-called solidarity contribution, which aims to provide swift financial support to victims of the blaze at the Le Constellation bar in the town of Crans-Montana, had already been voted through by the upper house of parliament last week.

The payment is meant to apply to each individual who lost their life in the fire and everyone who was hospitalised. Most of those who died were teenagers and many of the victims were foreigners, including several from France and Italy.

According to witnesses and prosecutors, the fire appeared to have been started by the use of sparkling candles that ignited foam soundproofing on the bar's basement ceiling.

Earlier, a document showed that Swiss prosecutors have widened their investigation into the fire, adding the mayor of Crans-Montana and four other current and former local officials to the list of suspects.