ZURICH, Feb 1 - Swiss officials confirmed on Sunday that an 18-year-old who had been injured in the New Year’s Eve fire at the "Le Constellation" bar in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana died in hospital, bringing the known death toll from the blaze to 41.
The Public Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Valais said the Swiss national was receiving treatment in Zurich and died on Saturday, but provided no further details in its statement.
Authorities have said most of those killed in the blaze were teenagers. A total of 116 people were reported injured in the incident, and some of those remain hospitalized with severe burns.
Two people with knowledge of the matter identified the additional victim as a young man who lived near the western city of Lausanne.
Across the region, grief and demands for answers have continued to surface. On Saturday, hundreds of people marched through the lakeside town of Lutry near Lausanne alongside bereaved parents, carrying a large banner demanding "truth and justice". Mourners bore white roses as they walked.
"Today, we are just asking for justice and truth and afterwards we will mourn," said Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, who lost her 17-year-old son Arthur in the fire.
The blaze has also affected relations with neighbouring Italy. Italian authorities have reported that their nationals died in the fire and have protested the decision to release the bar’s owner on bail. Swiss officials said earlier this week they would provide the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office with access to the evidence gathered during the investigation.
The investigation and public reaction remain active as officials continue to process the scale of the disaster and liaise with foreign prosecutors requesting evidence.