Crans Montana – Could This Tragedy Have Been Prevented?

We have heard many voices that, in the immediate emotional reaction, have said a great deal about the New Year’s tragedy. Our first thoughts go to the young people and their families. Lives cut short and lives forever marked are and will remain a perpetual warning for all of us.

Today, however, it is possible to make more in-depth assessments and to evaluate the lessons that this terrible event can leave us.

First of all, the causes—by now fairly certain—urge us to reflect on a primary issue: appropriate structures and materials. A small trigger, such as the set of sparklers, ignited highly flammable materials. The choice of materials is one that is too often made with excessive superficiality. Price and other technical characteristics prevail over fire safety. Choosing materials classified in terms of Reaction to Fire, and installing them correctly, cannot and must not be a secondary aspect.

In recent days, the term “fireproof materials” has been overused. It is not possible to have fireproof materials always and everywhere. In every context there are materials that (to a greater or lesser extent) participate in a fire. It is our duty, as Professionals, to guide these choices. The better the materials and the better their installation, the later the “flashover” occurs, allowing time for evacuation.

There are also certainties regarding the number and placement of the exits that were present, but there are still aspects that require further analysis. Without doubt, a single exit—moreover uphill on a staircase—is absolutely insufficient to safely evacuate the people who were inside the venue. However, the configuration of structures is linked to a series of factors that are not always easy to share with owners and venue managers. Upgrading fire resistance and implementing proper compartmentation with fire-rated structures must be an absolute priority, with no excuses whatsoever.

The second issue that requires deeper thought concerns fire protection measures: in none of the videos of the Swiss tragedy do we see fire extinguishers or hydrants. A simple water extinguisher would not have prevented the fire, but it could have prevented the tragedy. Choosing the right devices for each situation is the foundation of safety. Here too, this is not a matter of choice, but of absolute necessity.

The third issue—now completely neglected—is the managerial one. The young people present behaved with great responsibility, but without being guided by a management system that should have prioritized escape. No trained staff member who helped was mentioned by witnesses; no clear and effective instructions guided the young people; no alarm or acoustic warning was activated. Today, having a Fire Safety Management System must be a priority for all work activities—especially those where the people present are unfamiliar with the spaces and safety procedures. This is not best practice; it is current law. It has been so since September 3, 2021, for any activity, yet no one seems to have noticed. Without even invoking the differences between a “bar” or a “nightclub.” This regulation applies to everyone. Period. Already today.

Eliminating fire risk entirely in any type of activity is not possible. We must reduce the risk to the lowest possible level, but above all (firmly and without hesitation) we must eliminate the consequences of a fire.

We can discuss some proposals:

• Introduce tax incentives for those who invest in safety. A virtuous cycle that would activate serious projects and effective installations. As with boilers, installing safe devices leads to tax benefits. Why not?
• Introduce the DURS (Single Safety Compliance Document). As with the DURC, if you do not have it, you cannot operate—no discounts and no doubts of any kind.
• Third-Party Certification. In coordination with supervisory authorities, the insurance sector, fire safety professionals, and dedicated companies, a certification system could be introduced even for activities that are difficult to bring to light. Activities that change very rapidly over the course of just a few days (restaurants, clubs, etc.) are not easy to monitor.

If we all commit ourselves—easily and with an economically sustainable system—we will not eliminate fires, but we will eliminate tragedies.