A teenager who was injured when a deadly bar fire broke out in a Swiss ski resort on New Year's Eve has died in hospital, taking the death toll to 41, the local public prosecutor announced.
An 18-year-old Swiss national died at a hospital in Zurich on January 31, the Wallis canton's public prosecutor, Beatrice Pilloud, said in a statement.
The fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana - a venue known to be popular with a younger crowd in the ski resort town, where the drinking age is 16 - also injured 116 people.
Most of the victims of the fire were young - eight were under the age of 16 - and many are still being treated in hospital for severe burns. Switzerland's Federal Office for Civil Protection reported that 44 patients were being treated abroad, including 18 in France and 12 in Italy, while 37 patients remained in Swiss hospitals as of Monday.
Initial findings from an investigation suggest the fire began as sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited soundproof foam that lined the ceiling of the bar's basement. Authorities acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety checks for five years.
The owners of the bar, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, face accusations of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. A travel ban has been imposed on Jessica Moretti, while Jacques Moretti is currently held in custody for an initial period of 90 days.
Both have expressed regret over the tragedy, and the investigation continues as further legal actions are awaited.
