02/02/2026, 1:55 p.m02/02/2026, 1:55 p.m
Italian President Sergio Mattarella visited Milan’s Niguarda Hospital on Monday. He met the parents of relatives of the victims of the Crans-Montana fire disaster who are being treated there.
Sergio Mattarella (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron at the national memorial service on January 9, 2026.Image: REUTERS POOL KEYSTONE
During his 40-minute visit, Mattarella also spoke to doctors who were treating victims of the devastating fire on New Year’s Eve, as the Italian news agencies Adnkronos and Ansa consistently reported.
The Italian President reportedly said that the victims of the fire had to be given a fulfilling life back: “They have to do it.”
Mattarella also took a short tour of the ward for burn victims, it was said. According to a local official, he also wanted to see some of those affected himself.
The fire disaster in Crans-Montana caused great consternation in Italy. Six of the 41 fatalities and eleven injured are Italian nationals. Criticism of the criminal investigation conducted by the Valais public prosecutor’s office was repeatedly voiced in the neighboring country to the south.
In particular, the decision to release the operator of the unfortunate bar from custody on bail was met with incomprehension. The Italian justice system has opened its own proceedings. The Valais judicial authorities have now approved a request for legal assistance from Rome. (sda/adnkronos/ansa)