As investigations into the deadly Crans-Montana bar fire continue, new images from the final minutes before the catastrophe are raising troubling questions about what happened inside the venue moments before the flames erupted.

The images suggest that the bar manager may have been part of a group carrying champagne bottles equipped with fire fountains — a celebratory practice that has now come under intense scrutiny. What makes the images particularly disturbing is that the woman appears to have been filming the scene for social media while holding a bottle with a burning candle.

Images From the Final Minutes

The images, captured shortly before the fire broke out, show a woman seen from behind whose outward appearance — including her dress and hairstyle — appears to match that of the woman seen earlier in an Instagram video connected to the celebration.

In the images, she is holding a bottle with a candle in her left hand. In her right hand, she is holding a mobile phone, apparently filming the champagne procession as it moves through the bar.

These moments, now frozen in images, may represent some of the last visual records before the catastrophe unfolded.

Champagne Bottles With Fire Fountains

According to the available material, the woman appears to be part of a group moving through the venue with champagne bottles fitted with fire fountains — a common celebratory element in nightlife venues, but one that carries inherent fire risks, especially in enclosed spaces.

The images raise the possibility that open flames were being carried through the bar at a time when the venue was crowded, decorated, and filled with flammable materials.

Investigators are now examining whether this practice may have played a role in triggering the fire.

Filming for Social Media

What has drawn particular attention is the fact that the woman appears to be filming the scene on her phone while holding a lit bottle. This suggests that the celebration was not only being staged for guests but also documented for social media, potentially prioritizing spectacle over safety.

The act of filming while carrying an open flame has raised questions about awareness of risk and adherence to safety protocols inside the venue.

The Moment Before Everything Changed

The images do not show the fire itself. Instead, they capture the moments immediately before — when the atmosphere was still celebratory, and danger had not yet become visible.

Within minutes, that atmosphere would be replaced by chaos, smoke, and flames.

For investigators, these images may prove critical in reconstructing the sequence of events that led to the disaster.

Matching the Appearance

Authorities and analysts have noted that the woman seen in the images closely matches the outward appearance of the woman previously identified in an Instagram video filmed earlier in the evening. The similarity in clothing and hairstyle has fueled suspicions that the same individual appears in both recordings.

However, officials stress that the images alone do not establish responsibility and must be evaluated alongside witness statements and forensic evidence.

Questions, Not Conclusions

At this stage, the images raise questions rather than provide definitive answers. Investigators are examining whether the use of champagne candles complied with safety regulations and whether the bar’s management had established clear rules governing their use.

They are also looking into whether the presence of open flames in combination with interior materials may have created a dangerous environment.

A Celebration Under Scrutiny

The practice of carrying champagne bottles with fire fountains has become a focal point of the investigation, symbolizing a broader debate about safety versus spectacle in nightlife venues.

What was intended as a celebratory gesture may now be scrutinized as a potential contributing factor to a tragedy that claimed lives and left many injured.

Evidence Under Review

The images are now being carefully analyzed as part of the ongoing investigation. Their timing, content, and context are being compared with other recordings, eyewitness accounts, and technical findings.

Investigators are seeking to determine whether these final moments offer clues that could explain how a celebration turned into catastrophe.

The Weight of the Images

For the families of victims and survivors, the images are painful reminders of how close the disaster was — how ordinary the moments looked just before everything went wrong.

They highlight how quickly joy can turn into devastation, and how seemingly minor decisions can have irreversible consequences.

Awaiting Answers

As the investigation continues, these images stand as a stark visual record of the final minutes before the Crans-Montana fire. They do not yet provide answers, but they underscore the need for accountability, clarity, and a full understanding of what happened.

The images show a celebration in motion. What followed was tragedy.