GENEVA (AFP)
The Crans-Montana municipality said on Tuesday it was providing one million Swiss francs ($1.3 million) to support victims of the deadly fire that broke out in the ski resort during New Year celebrations.
The inferno in the early hours of January 1 claimed 41 lives and injured 115 others, most of whom remain in hospital.
The municipality "will transfer this amount to the Crans-Montana fire victims' aid foundation, which is being set up", the local authority said in a statement.
Mayor Nicolas Feraud added: "We are aware that the money cannot erase any suffering but we hope to be able to support the families affected by this tragedy and show the solidarity of the Crans-Montana community."
Public prosecutors believe the fire in Le Constellation started when sparklers were raised too close to the basement ceiling, igniting the sound insulation foam.
The municipality triggered outrage on January 6 when it revealed that no annual safety check had been carried out since 2019.
Four people are currently under criminal investigation: co-owners, the municipality's current head of public safety and a former Crans-Montana fire safety officer.
In its statement, the municipality said it would "face the responsibilities determined by the justice system".
Miriam Mazou, a lawyer who represents the family of one victim, told AFP the donation "is a step in the right direction, but we know that the total damage will be far greater than this amount".
"The victims also want the justice system to act quickly and effectively so that the full truth can be revealed about the responsibilities that led to this tragedy."
In mid-January, the Wallis canton, where Crans-Montana is located, announced it was urgently allocating 10,000 Swiss francs to "every victim hospitalised or deceased", via an independent foundation.
And the Swiss government has said the victims and their families could count on financial support from the state, though the details have yet to be finalised.