Icy roads alert issued for Thursday; Swiss fire victims’ families fear ‘destruction of evidence’; and more news in our roundup this Thursday.
Government warns drivers and pedestrians of slippery roads today
After a snowfall and sub-zero temperatures last night, the roads are icy in large parts of Switzerland on Thursday morning.
The government’s meteorological service, MeteoSchweiz, is therefore alerting motorists to adjust their speed and driving style; pedestrians too should be aware of the increased risk of slipping and falling.
Swiss fire victims’ families fear ‘destruction of evidence’
Families of victims of the deadly New Year blaze in a Crans-Montana bar fear the “destruction of evidence” by the establishment’s owners or “someone close to them”, a lawyer representing several families said on Wednesday.
“My clients fear that evidence will be tampered with or destroyed, given the lack of searches and other decisive measures by the public prosecutor’s office,” the lawyer, Romain Jordan, told AFP.
To Jordan’s knowledge, the public prosecutor’s office has not conducted any searches.
“In the early morning, while the establishment was still on fire, the owners of the bar Le Constellation, or someone close to them, suspended access to the Facebook page and all of the establishment’s social media accounts, which contained photos and videos from the evening,” he said.
“That clearly demonstrates an awareness of a problem and that an attempt was made to minimise it.” (AFP)
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A rush to buy fire extinguishers after the Crans-Montana tragedy
Swiss online retailers are reporting a surge in demand for fire extinguishers and fire blankets, with sales of these items having increased fivefold in recent days.
For instance, at Digitec Galaxus, Switzerland’s largest online retailer, sales of smoke detectors more than doubled during the first three days of 2026 compared to the same period last year.
The increase was even more pronounced for fire blankets and fire extinguishers, with sales quadrupling and quintupling, respectively, a company spokesperson stated.
READ ALSO: How strict are Switzerland’s fire safety regulations for residential buildings?
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Flu epidemic is ‘particularly severe’ this year, with worst still to come
According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the number of reported cases indicates that the current flu epidemic is “particularly severe.”
Nearly 15 flu cases per 100,000 inhabitants were recorded in mid-December, but this number has more than doubled to 33.50 just after New Year.
However, this figure is set to rise: according to FOPH, the peak has not yet been reached.
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