Five years of neglect: Swiss bar inferno leaves five dead
Five people died when a fire tore through an uninspected Lausanne bar, exposing a five-year safety lapse in Switzerland's hospitality sector
‘It was the smoke that killed us’
LAUSANNE—Flames had barely begun to lick the ceiling of the small bar in the quiet Rue du Petit-Chêne when the lights failed, plunging the crowd into darkness and trapping dozens inside. By sunrise, five people lay dead and 12 were hospitalized, two critical, in what police are calling one of Switzerland’s worst hospitality disasters in decades.
The night everything went wrong
At 11:37 PM, guitarist Luca Bianchi was tuning up for his set when the smoke alarm failed to sound. “We smelled burning plastic and thought it was just a blown amp,” he recalled, “but within minutes the curtains were on fire.” A single exit door was blocked by a delivery scooter parked illegally by a local courier. Patrons scrambled toward the back, but the kitchen door had been padlocked from the outside by staff earlier in the evening to prevent after-hours entry.
Inspection records reveal five-year void
Cantonal fire inspector Sylvie Rousseau confirmed that the bar’s last safety inspection was in 2019. “Between 2020 and 2023 inspections were suspended during pandemic measures, but the bar should have received a follow-up in 2024,” she said. Local authorities admitted that budget cuts and staff shortages had allowed hundreds of small venues to slip off the radar.
Legal storm brewing
Prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation on charges of involuntary mansi and endangering life through neglect. The owner, 42-year-old Yann Bellerose, was questioned overnight and released pending further inquiries. “We are examining whether the use of illegal acoustic foam contributed to the rapid propagation,” said lead prosecutor David Martinet.
Community shaken
“This place was our living room,” said 22-year-old student Leila Dufresne, lighting a candle beside a growing memorial of flowers and beer glasses.