The China Mail - Switzerland 'devastated' by fire tragedy: president

"Our country is devastated by this tragedy. We honour the memory of those who were lost, and we stand beside those now facing a long journey of recovery," he said at the ceremony in Martigny, southwest Switzerland's Wallis canton.

The Alpine country held a nationwide minute of silence, after which church bells rang across the country for five minutes in honour of those killed in the inferno, which engulfed the basement of Le Constellation, a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana.

"The start of 2026 should have brought the familiar hopes and promises -- a new year with a fresh start. For young people especially, such promises take flight on dreams and the rightful hopes of youth -- promises destined for the skies that fell too soon into the ashes of a night of horror," Parmelin said at the service in Martigny, attended by around 1,000 people.

"Hope... depends on our justice system's ability to bring failures to light and to impose consequences without delay or leniency. This is a moral responsibility as well as a duty of the state."

French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Luxembourg's former grand duke Henri were among those in attendance.

In an emotional address, Wallis president Mathias Reynard told the families and loved ones of those killed: "We are with you.

"Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts turn towards you.

"In this shared grief, we stand united."

O.Tse--ThChM