A fire broke out this morning in Crans-Montana inside the memorial to the victims of the Constellation fire.

The Valais cantonal police reported this, specifying that the flames were promptly extinguished by the firefighters and that no injuries were reported.

An investigation has been opened into the causes of the fire.

Initially located in front of the Constellation, in the center of Crans-Montana, the memorial was moved about 20 days after the New Year's Eve tragedy by decision of the city council to a more secluded location, near the Saint-Christophe chapel.

It consists of an altar protected by an igloo tent, which was seriously damaged by the flames today. Candles, flowers, papers with messages, and various objects are continually placed here, brought by the many people who travel to the Valais town to pay their respects to the 41 people who died in the New Year's Eve fire.

The relocation of the memorial had sparked some controversy, and the municipality had been accused of wanting to hide one of the symbols of the New Year's Eve tragedy, also in relation to the Alpine Skiing World Cup being held in Crans-Montana at the end of January.

But the administration explained that the new location had been chosen to "maintain an accessible place of remembrance, which offers the necessary calm and safety to those who have come to honor the victims."

(Unioneonline/D)

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