Swiss investigators say sparklers ignited deadly New Year’s Eve bar blaze

Swiss officials say a New Year’s Eve fire that killed about 40 people and injured nearly 120 at a bar in a mountain town was likely sparked by champagne-bottle sparklers that ignited the ceiling, causing a rapid flashover. Many victims were teenagers or in their early 20s. Witnesses described people banging on windows and screaming as flames swept across the wooden ceiling, trapping those inside.