The Swiss canton of Valais has banned pyrotechnic devices in all indoor public venues following the devastating fire at a bar on New Year's Eve where 40 people were killed and 116 were injured.
Authorities said each of the victims would receive a 10,000 franc ($12,500; £9,200) emergency payment, with a fund being set up to collect donations.
The canton of Geneva also announced a ban on pyrotechnics in indoor venues - days after Vaud became the first of Switzerland's 26 regions to implement such a decision.
The blaze at Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana is believed to have started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited sound-insulating foam on the ceiling.
Authorities have acknowledged that the bar had not undergone safety checks for five years. The two co-owners of Le Constellation, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, have been accused of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. Jacques Moretti is currently in custody for an initial period of 90 days, while his wife has surrendered her passport and must report to police daily.
Families of the victims have been shocked to learn the bar had not been inspected in five years, especially considering many of the victims were young, with eight under the age of 16. Many injured individuals remain hospitalized, suffering from severe burns.
An online platform has been launched to collect testimonies related to the disaster to aid the investigation, and a lawyer representing the victims emphasized that this initiative aims to facilitate the inquiry without replacing official investigations.
Among the deceased was Cyane Panine, a 24-year-old waitress from Sète, France, who complied with her employer's instructions, holding a champagne bottle with a sparkler when the fire erupted. Her family defended her actions, insisting she cannot be held responsible.
