Death Toll in Swiss Alps Bar Fire Rises to 41

An 18-year-old Swiss national died in a Zurich hospital on Saturday from injuries sustained in a New Year's fire at an Alpine bar, raising the death toll to 41 in one of the worst disasters in modern Swiss history.

The victim, a young man from near the western city of Lausanne, succumbed to his wounds nearly a month after the blaze at Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities in the Canton of Valais said in a statement Sunday. The public prosecutor's office provided no additional details on the investigation. Most of those killed were teenagers, and of the 116 people injured, several remain hospitalized with severe burns. As of Monday, 44 patients were receiving treatment abroad, including 18 in France, 12 in Italy, eight in Germany, and six in Belgium.

Investigators believe the fire erupted shortly after midnight on January 1 when sparklers attached to Champagne bottles ignited soundproofing foam on the bar's ceiling. The venue was packed with revelers celebrating the new year. Authorities are examining whether the soundproofing material met safety regulations and if the sparklers were allowed inside. Fire safety inspections at the bar had not...