Valais authorities deny emergency aid to some Crans-Montana fire survivors

Authorities in the canton of Valais have denied emergency financial aid to at least seven survivors of the Crans-Montana bar fire that occurred on New Year’s Day. The fire, which took place at Le Constellation, resulted in 41 deaths and 115 injuries.

According to Valais State Councilor Mathias Reynard, the emergency fund, which includes 10,000 francs from the canton and 50,000 francs from the federal government, is restricted to specific criteria: the loss of a relative or a hospital stay of at least one night. Reynard stated that while the canton recognizes the psychological suffering of those excluded, the aid must be graduated to manage the scale of requests, noting that including all those with psychological distress would involve hundreds of people.

Legal representative Robert Assaël, acting for one of the survivors, criticized the decision as “shocking,” arguing that the requirement for hospitalization is an arbitrary criterion. He noted that his client chose not to occupy a hospital bed to avoid overburdening medical facilities during the crisis, despite being able to do so.