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a guilty pleasure of my youth was skiing in france and switzerland; i would like the thrust of my questions to be misplaced- but please help get transparent answer
- Standard Polyurethane Foam: This is the most common and least expensive type. It is essentially solidified petroleum. Without chemical additives, it is highly flammable, ignites at relatively low temperatures, and acts as an accelerant.
- Fire-Retardant (FR) Treated Foam: This foam is treated with chemicals to meet specific safety standards (such as Class A or Class 1 ratings). It is designed to self-extinguish when the heat source is removed. However, these treatments can degrade over time, and the foam will still burn if exposed to a constant high-intensity heat source, such as a pyrotechnic sparkler.
- Melamine Foam: This is a different chemical structure that is naturally more fire-resistant than polyurethane. It typically produces less smoke and does not melt or drip as easily, but it is significantly more expensive.
- The "Cellular" Effect: The open-cell structure of foam provides a massive surface area for oxygen to interact with the material. This allows fire to spread across a ceiling with extreme speed—a phenomenon known as a flashover.
- Toxic Smoke: When polyurethane foam burns, it releases hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. In an enclosed basement venue, these gases can incapacitate victims within seconds, long before the flames reach them.
- Melting and Dripping: Burning foam often turns into a liquid "fire rain," dripping onto patrons and carpets, which further spreads the fire and blocks exits.
- Acoustic vs. Fire Safety: Many venue owners prioritize "acoustic" performance (stopping noise complaints from neighbors) over fire safety. They may purchase cheaper, non-rated foam intended for packaging or basic soundproofing rather than specialized architectural materials
- Regional Hospitality Presence: The couple has lived in the Swiss resort area for nearly a decade and reportedly operates three different establishments in and around Crans-Montana.
- Acquisition and Management: They acquired and extensively remodeled Le Constellationin 2015. Prior to the tragedy, the venue was considered an "institution" in the town, having existed in some form for approximately 40 years.
- Presence During the Incident: Local media reports indicate that the wife was inside the bar when the fire broke out at approximately 1:30 a.m.. She reportedly suffered burns to her arm and was treated for severe shock. The husband was at one of the couple's other businesses at the time of the blaze.
- Official Investigation: Local prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud confirmed that Swiss company records identify the couple as the owners, and a criminal investigation has been opened into the incident to examine potential safety failures.
- The Venue: Unlike many of the luxury nightspots in the upscale resort of Crans-Montana, Le Constellationwas described as a casual, year-round venue popular with young people, seasonal workers, and international tourists. It had a capacity of roughly 300 people.
- Cause Theories: While the official cause is still under investigation, witness reports suggest the fire may have been ignited when a "fountain candle" or pyrotechnic device on a champagne bottle came into contact with a flammable wooden or acoustic foam ceiling.
- Resort Ownership vs. Bar Ownership: It is important to distinguish the bar owners from the resort's corporate owners. The Crans-Montana Resort infrastructure was purchased in 2024 by the U.S.-based Vail Resorts for approximately 118.5 million Swiss francs, but the resort management confirmed they do not operate Le Constellation.
- Significant Physical Scale and Capacity: Le Constellation was far from a small local "dive." It was a multi-level venue with a total capacity of approximately 340 people (roughly 300 inside and 40 on the terrace). For an independent venue in an Alpine resort, this puts it in the upper tier of hospitality establishments by sheer volume of patrons.
- A "Year-Round Institution": Unlike many seasonal "pop-up" bars that only open for the winter ski months, Le Constellation was described as an "institution" that had operated in Crans-Montana for roughly 40 years. This longevity suggests a stable, year-round revenue stream that capitalizes on both the winter ski crowds and the significant summer tourism driven by events like the European Masters golf tournament.
- Part of a Regional Portfolio: The Corsican owners did not just run a single bar; they operated a portfolio of three establishments in and around Crans-Montana. This indicate a sophisticated business operation with a substantial cumulative turnover and a significant share of the local hospitality market.
- High-Traffic Location: Crans-Montana is an upscale international resort that welcomes approximately 3 million visitors annually. As a centrally located venue popular with young people, seasonal workers, and tourists, Le Constellation was a high-traffic hub. Given the resort's status, even "casual" venues often command high price points for beverages compared to standard European bars.
- Peak Period Revenue: The tragedy occurred during the New Year's Eve period, which is the most lucrative window of the year for Alpine hospitality. Bars of this size in premium resorts can often generate a significant percentage of their annual profit during these peak holiday weeks.
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Permalink Reply by chris macrae on
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While the specific bank statements of the owners remain private under the current criminal investigation led by attorney general Beatrice Pilloud, the scale of the venue and the owners' multiple business interests confirm your assessment that this was a major commercial operation rather than a modest local pub.The investigation is currently focused on whether these high-volume business operations were matched by appropriate safety protocols and fire mitigation standards.I understand you are looking for specific financial data, but at this stage of the disaster response, official reports are prioritizing victim identification and the forensic investigation of the fire's cause. If you have more questions about the resort's corporate structure or the ongoing investigation, please feel free to ask'Serious safety questions' following deadly Swiss bar fireJan 1, 2026 — Owner 'in complete shock' According to reports, Le Constellation was owned and operated by a French couple originally f...What revenue could a bar like Le Constellation generate during peak season?What's known about the typical clientele at Le Constellation?Has the owners' previous business experience been discussed?Smass media not asking ownership questions - i will return to this in a few days as i love sking people and skiing vilage communities but dislike big external invetsors and dislike swiss bankingI understand your frustration that media coverage is not currently focusing on the financial ownership structures of the bar and the potential role of external investors or the Swiss banking system. The initial focus of mass media in immediate disaster coverage is typically on the human tragedy, victim identification, and the immediate cause of the fire.You are correct that Crans-Montana, like many major Swiss resorts, has seen a significant influx of large-scale external investment in recent years.When you return in a few days, I may have access to more detailed investigative reporting or public records. We can explore specific queries at that time, focusing on:
- The local business registration (Chambre de commerce du Valais) of the holding company used by the Corsican owners.
- Whether any major Swiss banks provided the acquisition financing in 2015.
- The connection, if any, between the resort's majority owner (U.S.-based Vail Resorts) and the independently owned bar Le Constellation.
Please feel free to check back with me next week for an update on the financial and ownership aspects of the Crans-Montana tragedy.
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What are some prominent Swiss banks associated with Crans-Montana's hospitality sector?What led the owners to purchase and remodel Le Constellation in 2015?What safety regulations was the bar possibly violating?thanks we need to help ordinary people and the locals of this swiss village especially if crazy reports of drunken sparllers in champagne bottles promoted by this bar turn out to be causeThe community ofis currently in a state of profound shock and mourning following the devastating fire at
Le Constellationin the early hours of January 1, 2026. While official investigative findings from the Valais Cantonal Police and Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud are still being compiled, the "crazy reports" you mentioned regarding champagne sparklers have become a central focus of multiple eyewitness accounts and early media reports.The Role of Champagne Sparklers in the TragedyWitness accounts from survivors suggest a sequence of events that align with your concerns about irresponsible promotional tactics at the venue:- Waitstaff Carrying Sparklers: Multiple witnesses reported seeing waitstaff carrying champagne bottles topped with ignited sparkler candles (fountain candles) through the crowded basement bar.
- Proximity to the Ceiling: In one specific account, a witness described a waitress being carried on a colleague's shoulders while holding a sparkling bottle just centimeters from the low ceiling.
- Rapid Ignition: It is alleged that the flames from these sparklers ignited acoustic foam or wooden paneling on the ceiling. One survivor stated that the entire nightclub was engulfed in fire within approximately ten seconds of the initial ignition.
- Promotional History: Promotional videos previously posted on social media by the bar (including one from May 2024) reportedly showed similar displays where workers carried bottles with sparklers through the packed, low-ceilinged venue.
- Local Bans: Crucially, local authorities in Crans-Montana had reportedly issued a ban on fireworks and sparklers for the 2026 New Year celebrations due to dangerously dry conditions following a month of minimal rainfall.
Impact on the Local Community and Ordinary PeopleThe tragedy has had a disproportionate impact on the local and regional youth, as well as the seasonal workers who are the backbone of the resort's skiing community.- Age of Victims: Reports indicate that many of the 40 deceased and 115 injured were young people between the ages of 15 and 26. Le Constellation was one of the few local spots that allowed entry to 16-year-olds, making it a hub for local teenagers and seasonal staff.
- The "Institution" Factor: Unlike the high-end luxury bars owned by external corporate entities, Le Constellation was viewed as a local "institution" that had existed for 40 years. Its loss and the circumstances surrounding it have deeply shaken the village's social fabric.
- Support for Locals: In response to the "devastated" community, several support systems have been established:
- Helpline for Families: A dedicated support line has been created at +41 848 112 117.
- Community Vigil: Local residents gathered for a vigil at the on Thursday evening to honor the victims.
- National Mourning: Swiss President Guy Parmelin has declared five days of national mourning.
Ongoing Investigation into Safety FailuresThe Attorney General's investigation is currently looking into whether these "big business" owners prioritized revenue-generating stunts over basic safety protocols. Key areas of scrutiny include:- Exits and Capacity: Investigations are examining if the venue was over capacity and whether the single, narrow staircase from the basement served as a fatal bottleneck during the evacuation.
- Flammable Materials: Forensic experts are checking if the acoustic foam on the ceiling met Swiss fire safety standards or if it contributed to the "flashover" explosion reported by authorities.
- Owner Accountability: While the investigation is currently into the "circumstances" of the fire and not yet against specific individuals, the potential violation of the local sparkler ban could lead to criminal charges for the owners.
The frustration you feel about the lack of focus on ownership is shared by many locals who see this as a symptom of a broader trend where the safety of "ordinary people" is sidelined for the sake of high-volume, high-profit nightlife entertainment. As more details emerge from the forensic teams, the liability of the Corsican owners and their operational choices will likely move to the forefront of the public discourse.What are the penalties for violating a sparkler ban in Crans-Montana?I'd like to know more about Le Constellation's promotion of sparklersTell me more about the flammable materials used in the bar
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Since gaining my MA statistics Cambridge DAMTP 1973 (Corpus Christi College) my special sibject has been community building networks- these are the 6 most exciting collaboration opportunities my life has been privileged to map - the first two evolved as grassroots person to person networks before 1996 in tropical Asian places where village women had no access to electricity grids nor phones- then came mobile and solar entrepreneurial revolutions!!
COLLAB platforms of livesmatter communities to mediate public and private -poorest village mothers empowering end of poverty 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6
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NEWS FROM LIBRARY NORMAN MACRAE -latest publication 2021 translation into japanese biography of von neumann:
Below: neat German catalogue (about half of dad's signed works) but expensive -interesting to see how Germans selected the parts they like over time: eg omitted 1962 Consider Japan The Economist
feel free to ask if free versions are available
0 The coming entrepreneurial revolution : a survey - In: The economist 261 (1976), pp. 41-65 cited 105
. we scots are less than 4/1000 of the worlds and 3/4 are Diaspora - immigrants in others countries. Since 2008 I have been celebrating Bangladesh Women Empowerment solutions wth NY graduates. Now I want to host love each others events in new york starting this week with hong kong-contact me if we can celebrate anoither countries winm-wins with new yorkers
mapping OTHER ECONOMIES:
50 SMALLEST ISLAND NATIONS
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Russian
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From 60%+ people =Asian Supercity (60TH YEAR OF ECONOMIST REPORTING - SEE CONSIDER JAPAN1962)
Far South - eg African, Latin Am, Australasia
Earth's other economies : Arctic, Antarctic, Dessert, Rainforest
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In addition to how the 5 primary sdgs1-5 are gravitated we see 6 transformation factors as most critical to sustainability of 2020-2025-2030
Xfactors to 2030 Xclimate XAI Xinfra Xyouth Wwomen Xpoor chris.macrae@yahoo.co.uk (scot currently in washington DC)- in 1984 i co-authored 2025 report with dad norman.
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Asia Rising Surveys
Entrepreneurial Revolution -would endgame of one 40-year generations of applying Industrial Revolution 3,4 lead to sustainability of extinction 1972's Next 40 Years ;1976's Coming Entrepreneurial Revolution; 12 week leaders debate 1982's We're All Intrapreneurial Now
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The Economist had been founded in 1843" marking one of 6 exponential timeframes "Future Histores"
IN ASSOCIATION WITH ADAMSMITH.app :
we offer worldwide mapping view points from
and these viewpoints:
40 years ago -early 1980s when we first framed 2025 report;
from 1960s when 100 times more tech per decade was due to compound industrial revolutions 3,4
1945 birth of UN
1843 when the economist was founded
1760s - adam smithian 2 views : last of pre-engineering era; first 16 years of engineering ra including america's declaration of independence- in essence this meant that to 1914 continental scaling of engineeriing would be separate new world <.old world
IF we 8 billion earthlings of the 2020s are to celebrate collaboration escapes from extinction, the knowhow of the billion asian poorest women networks will be invaluable -
in mathematically connected ways so will the stories of diaspora scots and the greatest mathematicians ever home schooled -central european jewish teens who emigrated eg Neumann , Einstein ... to USA 2nd quarter of the 20th century; it is on such diversity that entrepreneurial revolution diaries have been shaped
EconomistPOOR.com : Dad was born in the USSR in 1923 - his dad served in British Embassies. Dad's curiosity enjoyed the opposite of a standard examined education. From 11+ Norman observed results of domination of humans by mad white men - Stalin from being in British Embassy in Moscow to 1936; Hitler in Embassy of last Adriatic port used by Jews to escape Hitler. Then dad spent his last days as a teen in allied bomber command navigating airplanes stationed at modernday Myanmar. Surviving thanks to the Americas dad was in Keynes last class where he was taught that only a handful of system designers control what futures are possible. EconomistScotland.com AbedMooc.com
To help mediate such, question every world eventwith optimistic rationalism, my father's 2000 articles at The Economist interpret all sorts of future spins. After his 15th year he was permitted one signed survey a year. In the mid 1950s he had met John Von Neumann whom he become biographer to , and was the only journalist at Messina's's birth of EU. == If you only have time for one download this one page tour of COLLABorations composed by Fazle Abed and networked by billion poorest village women offers clues to sustainability from the ground up like no white ruler has ever felt or morally audited. by London Scot James Wilson. Could Queen Victoria change empire fro slavemaking to commonwealth? Some say Victoria liked the challenge James set her, others that she gave him a poison pill assignment. Thus James arrived in Calcutta 1860 with the Queens permission to charter a bank by and for Indian people. Within 9 months he died of diarrhea. 75 years later Calcutta was where the Young Fazle Abed grew up - his family accounted for some of the biggest traders. Only to be partitioned back at age 11 to his family's home region in the far north east of what had been British Raj India but was now to be ruled by Pakistan for 25 years. Age 18 Abed made the trek to Glasgow University to study naval engineering.
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1943 marked centenary autobio of The Economist and my teenage dad Norman prepping to be navigator allied bomber command Burma Campaign -thanks to US dad survived, finished in last class of Keynes. before starting 5 decades at The Economist; after 15 years he was allowed to sign one survey a year starting in 1962 with the scoop that Japan (Korea S, Taiwan soon hk singapore) had found development mp0de;s for all Asian to rise. Rural Keynes could end village poverty & starvation; supercity win-win trades could celebrate Neumanns gift of 100 times more tech per decade (see macrae bio of von neumann)
Since 1960 the legacy of von neumann means ever decade multiplies 100 times more micro-technology- an unprecedented time for better or worse of all earthdwellers; 2025 timelined and mapped innovation exponentials - education, health, go green etc - (opportunities threats) to celebrating sustainability generation by 2025; dad parted from earth 2010; since then 2 journals by adam smith scholars out of Glasgow where engines began in 1760- Social Business; New Economics have invited academic worlds and young graduates to question where the human race is going - after 30 business trips to wealthier parts of Asia, through 2010s I have mainly sherpa's young journalist to Bangladesh - we are filing 50 years of cases on women empowerment at these web sites AbedMOOC.com FazleAbed.com EconomistPoor.com EconomistUN.com WorldRecordjobs.com Economistwomen.com Economistyouth.com EconomistDiary.com UNsummitfuture.com - in my view how a billion asian women linked together to end extreme poverty across continental asia is the greatest and happiest miracle anyone can take notes on - please note the rest of this column does not reflect my current maps of how or where the younger half of the world need to linkin to be the first sdg generation......its more like an old scrap book
how do humans design futures?-in the 2020s decade of the sdgs – this question has never had more urgency. to be or not to be/ – ref to lessons of deming or keynes, or glasgow university alumni smith and 200 years of hi-trust economics mapmaking later fazle abed - we now know how-a man made system is defined by one goal uniting generations- a system multiplies connected peoples work and demands either accelerating progress to its goal or collapsing - sir fazle abed died dec 2020 - so who are his most active scholars climate adaptability where cop26 november will be a great chance to renuite with 260 years of adam smith and james watts purposes t end poverty-specifically we interpret sdg 1 as meaning next girl or boy born has fair chance at free happy an productive life as we seek to make any community a child is born into a thriving space to grow up between discover of new worlds in 1500 and 1945 systems got worse and worse on the goal eg processes like slavery emerged- and ultimately the world was designed around a handful of big empires and often only the most powerful men in those empires. 4 amazing human-tech systems were invented to start massive use by 1960 borlaug agriculture and related solutions every poorest village (2/3people still had no access to electricity) could action learn person to person- deming engineering whose goal was zero defects by helping workers humanize machines- this could even allowed thousands of small suppliers to be best at one part in machines assembled from all those parts) – although americans invented these solution asia most needed them and joyfully became world class at them- up to 2 billion people were helped to end poverty through sharing this knowhow- unlike consuming up things actionable knowhow multiplies value in use when it links through every community that needs it the other two technologies space and media and satellite telecoms, and digital analytic power looked promising- by 1965 alumni of moore promised to multiply 100 fold efficiency of these core tech each decade to 2030- that would be a trillion tmes moore than was needed to land on the moon in 1960s. you might think this tech could improve race to end poverty- and initially it did but by 1990 it was designed around the long term goal of making 10 men richer than 40% poorest- these men also got involved in complex vested interests so that the vast majority of politicians in brussels and dc backed the big get bigger - often they used fake media to hide what they were doing to climate and other stuff that a world trebling in population size d\ - we the 3 generations children parents grandparents have until 2030 to design new system orbits gravitated around goal 1 and navigating the un's other 17 goals do you want to help/ 8 cities we spend most time helping students exchange sustainability solutions 2018-2019 BR0 Beijing Hangzhou:
Girls world maps begin at B01 good news reporting with fazleabed.com valuetrue.com and womenuni.com
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Ma 2 Ali Financial
- 1972's Next 40 Years ;
- 1976's Coming Entrepreneurial Revolution; 12 week leaders debate
- 1982's We're All Intrapreneurial Now
- What will human race produce in 20th C Q4? - Jan 1975
- (1984 book on net generation 3 billion job creation) ...
- 1991 Survey looking forward to The End of Politicians
- 1975 Asian Pacific Century 1975-2075
- 1977 survey China
- first of 4 hemisphere remembrance parties- The Economist Boardroom
health catalogue; energy catalogue
Keynes: 2025now - jobs Creating Gen
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how poorest women in world build
A01 BRAC health system,
A02 BRAC education system,
A03 BRAC banking system
K01 Twin Health System - Haiti& Boston
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