Sparklers Believed To Be Cause Of Swiss Bar Fire

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Investigators say they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire at a Swiss ski resort when they came too close to the ceiling of a bar crowded with New Year’s Eve revelers. Investigators said Friday that they planned to look into whether the material on the ceiling that was designed to muffle sound conformed with regulations. The candles, which give off a stream of upward-shooting sparks, are a type that are commonly available for parties, officials said. Forty people were killed and another 119 injured in the blaze as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana.