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Deadly Crans-Montana fire sends chills through Swiss tourism with safety in spotlight

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Deadly Crans-Montana fire sends chills through Swiss tourism with safety in spotlight


  • Crans-Montana fire causes booking cancellations
  • Verbier hospitality sector backs stricter safety checks
  • Senior lawmaker calls for national review to harmonise safety standards
  • Any such push may face resistance in country that prizes local autonomy
VERBIER, Switzerland, Jan 29 (Reuters) – A New Year fire that killed 40 people at a Swiss ski resort bar has shaken a lucrative tourism industry that long had an impeccable reputation and has piled pressure on the country to tighten safety standards.
News that “Le Constellation” bar, in the town of Crans-Montana in Canton Valais, had gone six years without a safety check quickly prompted officials to ban some practices, including the use of sparkling candles blamed for the tragedy.

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The stain on Switzerland’s otherwise exemplary safety record was quickly felt as local hoteliers reported cancelled bookings in a canton where the cost of real estate in resorts such as nearby Verbier can fetch prices on a par with Hong Kong.

“There were cancellations, there were reservation postponements to later dates in hotels,” said Bruno Huggler, director of the Crans-Montana tourism office, after the blaze that killed mostly teenagers and injured more than 100 people.

Le Constellation owners Jacques Moretti and his wife are under investigation for negligent homicide and other crimes.
The disaster has ignited a fractious political debate over safety, including calls for harmonised national standards in a country that prizes local autonomy.

It has also sparked alarm in Verbier’s hospitality sector.

BUSINESS FEARS

“We realize this could very well happen right here,” said Lionel Dubois, head of Verbier’s Association of Hoteliers, Cafe Owners and Restaurateurs. “That, I think, is a bit frightening.”

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Tourism in Switzerland was worth about $22.17 billion, or 3% of national output in 2021, official data showed.

While bookings at Crans-Montana’s roughly 1,300 hotel rooms have suffered, the overall picture is stable, as chalet and apartment rentals cover most stays, tourism boss Huggler said.

Young people have been shaken, though, and while some restaurants are returning to life, bars remain quieter, said Cedric Berger, head of the Association of Apartment and Chalet Owners of the Crans-Montana Upper Plateau.

Some local accommodation providers have seen cancellations in short-term vacation rentals.

“January is a month to forget, a lost month for everyone,” said Berger.

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Survivors of the fire, which also killed French and Italian citizens, are still hospitalised around Europe.

Crans-Montana apartment owners from Italy and France are angry, said Berger, who is also a lawyer.

“People go to Valais not because it’s the ‘best party’, but because it’s Switzerland, and you think it’s safe. If that quality disappears, then Switzerland’s ‘fortress’ is a bit shaken,” he added.

Anxiety about the fallout is palpable in Verbier, where Reuters contacted 37 hospitality venues.

Most declined to speak or did not reply, though the 12 who did said checks were conducted properly. But all agreed that rules must be reinforced to guarantee regular inspections, limit numbers at venues and provide fire-safety training to staff.

In four of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, including Valais, building insurance is not mandatory – potentially increasing risks for owners hit by fire, as well as weakening controls.

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The Swiss Insurance Association said over 90% of buildings in Switzerland are insured according to market estimates, adding it does not keep precise figures on how many are not. Reuters could not establish if Le Constellation had building insurance.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

The fire delivered the biggest hit to Switzerland’s reputation since the 2023 collapse of Credit Suisse bank, said Alexandre Edelmann, head of Presence Switzerland, the foreign ministry unit that promotes the country’s image abroad.

As media reports about Switzerland jumped to 25 times more than average in early January, a crisis room was established to support people abroad following the fire, said Edelmann.

Lawmaker Jacqueline de Quattro, head of the lower house of parliament security committee, said the fire had exposed potential shortcomings in Switzerland’s federal system, which allows cantons to set their own rules.

“We believed we had strict rules and that Switzerland was well‑prepared,” said de Quattro. “But then we were brutally confronted with reality.”

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Proposing a national review to harmonise standards backed by an events industry group, she voiced concerns over event professionals’ reports of sloppy work stemming from inadequate training, cost pressures and irregular inspections.

But the head of Verbier’s Val de Bagnes municipality, Fabien Sauthier, said inspections need resources and that, while regular checks occur, it was tough to inspect some 400 public buildings annually with just four full-time safety officials.

And any push towards greater federal oversight could face resistance.

“I’m a Swiss person, so I think the canton should decide what it wants to do,” said Willy Schranz, head of the municipal council in Adelboden in Canton Bern. “If you take responsibility, then it’s a very good system.”

($1 = 0.7667 Swiss francs)

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Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin
Editing by Dave Graham and Gareth Jones

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab



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Montana Fouts Named to USA Softball 2026 Athlete Pool: Roll Call

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April 3, 2026

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Montana Fouts Named to USA Softball 2026 Athlete Pool: Roll Call


Former Alabama softball pitcher Montana Fouts was one of 36 athletes named to the 2026 USA Softball Women’s National Team athlete pool. This group will compete at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup Group Stage event as well as the 2026 USA Softball International Cup. These players will also be in consideration for the 2028 Olympic team.

Fouts was an all-American pitcher at Alabama from 2019 to 2023 and has represented Team USA on the international stage multiple times at the World Games in 2022 and the Pan American games in 2023. She currently plays in the AUSL for the Utah Talons.

Lexi Kilfoyl and Skylar Wallace both started their careers at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma State and Florida respectively and were also named to the athlete pool. The WBSC World Cup group stage will be September 12-16 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

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Crimson Tide Roll Call: Friday, April 3, 2026

  • Former Alabama basketball player and longtime assistant Antoine Pettway was recognized as the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year for his work at Kennesaw State this year. Pettway’s squad won the Conference USA tournament, earning a spot in the NCAA tournament.

  • After her introduction as the new women’s basketball head coach earlier in the day, Pauline Love threw out the first pitch at the Alabama softball game on Thursday night.

  • Former Alabama forward Brandon Miller has set a new franchise record for the Charlotte Hornets with 54 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer.

Alabama Crimson Tide Thursday results:

  • Women’s tennis: LSU 4, Alabama 1

  • Softball: Texas 9, Alabama 1

  • Baseball: Alabama 10, Oklahoma 7

Alabama Crimson Tide Friday schedule:

  • Track and field at Battle on the Bayou, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, All day

  • Rowing at Rocky Top Invite, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

  • Baseball at Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 1 p.m., SEC Network+

  • Gymnastics at NCAA Regional vs. Utah, Denver and Oregon State, Corvallis, Oregon, 3 p.m., ESPN+

  • Softball vs. Texas, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

Countdown to Alabama Football’s A-Day Scrimmage

8 days

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On this date in Alabama Crimson Tide history:

April 3, 1985: Former Alabama quarterback Bobby Skelton was hired by the NFL as a back judge. Skelton, a long-time SEC official, joined former teammate Bobby Boylston, captain of the 1960 Alabama team, as a member of Art McNally’s NFL officiating crews. As a player, Skelton was best remembered for leading Alabama’s 16-15 win over Georgia Tech in 1960. — Bryant Museum

Alabama Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

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“I thought Nebraska was the most football-crazed state until I came to Alabama. — James Michener in 1975 when he was writing his book, “Sports in America.”

We’ll leave you with this…

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Fort Missoula’s Forest Service Office Will Close As Headquarters Relocates

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April 2, 2026

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Fort Missoula’s Forest Service Office Will Close As Headquarters Relocates


The Forest Service’s decision to move its headquarters back to the West is gathering some expressions of support, with the plan to shut down the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and relocate to Salt Lake as soon as next year.

But a lot of questions remain over how that will affect Region 1, the oldest of the Forest Service regions and a legacy in Western Montana for more than a century.

The transition to a “state model” will mean the closure of the regional office at Fort Missoula. However, the agency says an operations center will stay in Missoula, along with research functions, like the Fire Science Lab. Local offices for land management, recreation, and fire protection aren’t expected to see changes.

But the change has been on the minds of Missoula leaders since the proposal was first made last year. Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis told me previously that the city is concerned about losing some high-paying jobs.

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“We value our Forest Service employees in the way that that organization and agency has contributed to the culture of Montana and in Missoula and in particular.”- Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis

Mayor Andrea Davis; Dennis Bragg photo

Mayor Davis says it’s also going to be critical for the Forest Service to maintain a presence in Missoula to help with fire safety concerns in a warmer climate.

“Obviously, we’re very fortunate in Missoula to be living next to the largest contiguous wilderness in the Lower 48 states,” Davis observed. “And we all know that with increasing temperatures and increasing wildfire risk, wildfire management and wildfire science are essential to the health of our communities, and we rely on the Forest Service for that.”

Bye-bye to the “Border Road”

One of the most iconic backroads in Montana is set to close this summer, with the Trump Administration announcing the short route known as the “Border Road” will be shut down in July.

The road stretches for 9 miles right along the Montana-Canadian border east of the Coutts-Sweet Grass crossing, and has served both Montana and Canadian ranchers for generations. It’s a symbol of the peaceful, “open border” and is actually maintained by Alberta’s Warner County.

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But the BBC is reporting Warner County officials are preparing to build a replacement on the northern side after learning the route will close. That’s expected to cost nearly $6 million. There’s been no comment from DHS on the decision.

Supreme Court rejects Gianforte tax suit request

The Montana State Supreme Court won’t take expedited action in that fight over property tax reform.

Last month, Governor Gianforte had asked for the justices to make an expedited ruling in the fight with some conservative GOP lawmakers, who claimed SB 542 violates the Montana Constitution.

Gianforte had said the suit could derail plans for $95 million in rebates and skew property tax rates.

But the Daily Montana is reporting all the justices ruled against the request, saying the Governor hadn’t provided proof of the urgency for stepping into the case, which is filed in Gallatin County.

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Family help as SNAP changes

While parts of Montana continue to adjust to the SNAP changes of the past year, including the state’s decision to cut off “junk food and sugary drinks” this week, JD Knite reports some families are finding that another state program is a source of help.

Montana’s Top 10 Warmest Aprils since 1895

Montana’s Top 10 Warmest Aprils since 1895 according to NOAA

Gallery Credit: Chris Wolfe

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Thursday Headlines: Montana to the Moon, School bus vape, Highway crashes

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April 2, 2026

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Thursday Headlines: Montana to the Moon, School bus vape, Highway crashes


Q2 Top Stories and Weather for Wednesday, April 2

Friends cheer as former Livingston woman makes history aboard Artemis II moon mission

Friends cheer as Livingston native makes history aboard Artemis II moon mission

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BILLINGS – Artemis II is now more than 43,000 miles from Earth, continuing its 10-day mission around the moon and back.

The four-person crew includes Christina Koch, who will become the first woman to ever orbit the moon.

Koch also once lived in Livingston. Friends and students back in Montana gathered to watch Wednesday’s launch, which aims to test life-support systems ahead of future lunar landings.

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Authorities investigating after Shepherd mother says 6-year-old vaped on school bus

Authorities investigating after Shepherd mother says 6-year-old vaped on school bus

SHEPHERD – Law enforcement is investigating after a 6-year-old brought a nicotine vape onto a Shepherd school bus, used it, and shared it with another student.

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The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office initially charged the child’s guardian with endangering a child.

Those charges have now been dropped as prosecutors review the case.

School officials are now working with law enforcement on what parents are calling a disturbing trend.

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Drivers trapped for hours after semi crashes shut down I-90 near Columbus

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Multiple semi crashes shut down Interstate 90 traffic near Columbus

COLUMBUS – The latest wave of winter-like spring weather caused major problems on Interstate 90 on Wednesday, with similar conditions on the way.

Several semi crashes led to a highway closure between Big Timber and Columbus.

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All was clear by Wednesday afternoon and no one was hurt, but the incidents led to long waits at truck stops on both ends of the closure.

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Q2 WEATHER

Billings Forecast Wednesday evening Apr 1, 2026

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Watch Montana This Morning

Q2 Montana This Morning with Hailey Monaco 4-2-26





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