Swiss police have identified a further 16 victims who died after a fire swept through a New Year's party at a bar in a popular ski resort.

A 14-year-old Swiss girl is among those who now been identified, with the majority of those identified on Sunday being under 18.

Those identified by police included 10 Swiss people, as well as foreign nationals from Italy, Romania, Turkey and France.

On Friday, officials had only identified one of the dead, a teenage Italian international golfer, Emanuele Galeppini.

According to two people familiar with the investigation, some of the victims may be under 16.

Local residents said the bar was popular with young people and the Swiss government said many of the dead were likely youths. Beer and wine can be drunk from age 16 in Switzerland.

Swiss authorities have identified eight Swiss nationals among those killed. While the names of the victims have not been released, they were all aged between 16 to 24 years.

The Swiss justice minister said he was “so sorry” for the tragedy that killed over 40 and injured 119 during a New Year’s Eve party.

“It was an enormous tragedy. We're all so sorry that this had to happen," Beat Jans told reporters, standing in front of the cordoned-off bar, Le Constellation.

Residents still grieving over the sudden loss of lives in Valais have welcomed the news of the criminal probe, saying it was important that authorities get to the bottom of the case.

"We need a moment to reflect," said one, Patricia Mazzoni, 55. "But afterwards, I'd like an independent investigation. An independent investigation to find out who failed here."

Witnesses reported seeing staff at Le Constellation carrying so-called fountain candles atop bottles of champagne, and questions have also arisen about a foam material used to soundproof the ceiling of the basement where revellers danced.

Beatrice Pilloud, chief prosecutor of Valais, said indications were that the fire started because the sparklers got too near to the ceiling.

"From there, a rapid, very rapid and widespread blaze ensued," she said on Friday afternoon.

Investigations will look at renovations made to the bar, the fire extinguishing systems and escape routes, as well as the number of people inside when the blaze began, prosecutors said.

At least two people who ran the Swiss bar that burst into flames during a New Year’s Eve party are under criminal investigation.

The investigation has been launched against a French couple who are widely named in the media as Jacques and Jessica Moretti.

They are being investigated for suspected manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, the Swiss prosecutors office in Valais said.

Officials have said the likely cause of the fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana was sparklers on bottles being carried too close to the ceiling.

Investigators are looking into whether the venue’s acoustic foam was “also the cause of the problem”, as well as the bar’s compliance with regulations, said Beatrice Pillous, the lead prosecutor in the canton of Valais.

Two people who ran a Swiss bar that burst into flames during a New Year's Eve party, killing 40, are under criminal investigation on suspicion of offences including homicide by negligence, prosecutors said on Saturday.

Two days after the fire, in which 119 people suffered injuries including severe burns, officials were still trying to identify many of those killed and attention turned to how one of Switzerland's worst tragedies could have occurred.

The bar's two operators are suspected of offences including homicide by negligence, causing bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, prosecutors in Valais, the canton that is home to the bar in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, said in a statement. They did not name the pair.

An act has been pulled from Saturday's The Masked Singer episode due to "potential insensitivities" in the wake of the Swiss bar fire that killed 40 people.

It was the first instalment in the 2026 series of the singing competition, which involves celebrities performing in elaborate costumes.

Red Panda, one of several characters that contestants are disguised as, was removed from the episode.

An ITV spokesperson said: "In light of the tragic events in Switzerland, we took the decision to remove Red Panda's performance on The Masked Singer in tonight's programme owing to potential insensitivities within the theme and lyrics of the song.

"Viewers will get to see Red Panda perform in the coming weeks."

• Two operators of a Swiss bar are under criminal investigation following a New Year's Eve fire that killed 40 people and injured 119.
• The blaze occurred at Le Constellation in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, Valais, with prosecutors suspecting negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and arson by negligence.
• Indications suggest the fire started when sparklers, reportedly used with champagne bottles, came into contact with the bar's soundproofed ceiling, leading to a rapid and widespread inferno.
• Investigations will examine the bar's renovations, fire extinguishing systems, escape routes, and the number of people present, as authorities work to identify victims, many of whom are young people.
• One of the bar's owners stated that the establishment had undergone regular checks and complied with regulations, while residents call for an independent inquiry into the tragedy.