Crans-Montana victims’ foundation seeks more donations
Monday 7th September 2026 on 12:01 in
Switzerland
The first payments have been made to people affected by the Crans-Montana fire tragedy, SRF reported, citing an interview with foundation president Doris Leuthard on French-language broadcaster RTS. The Beloved Foundation has received about 70 requests for support.
The foundation was created to provide financial assistance to victims and their relatives. Eligible applicants include families of those who died, injured people, professional rescue workers and those who spontaneously helped at the scene.
It is intended to provide help where existing support systems reach their limits or offer no assistance.
A particular focus will be on education and professional reintegration for young people affected by the tragedy. The foundation may support retraining or new educational paths if severe injuries mean that a planned career is no longer possible.
The foundation currently has about 24 million Swiss francs. The canton of Valais has provided 10 million francs, the canton of Vaud seven million and the municipality of Crans-Montana one million. The remaining funds came from organisations and private donors.
Leuthard said many victims could require medical and psychological support for years. The foundation is therefore designed to operate over the long term and assist wherever needs arise.
It remains unclear whether the available funds will be sufficient. The severity of the consequences could place heavy demands on the foundation’s reserves, Leuthard said, adding that it plans further fundraising to build up those reserves.
Civil liability for the tragedy is still being examined in ongoing proceedings. If people are found legally responsible, insurance companies could also become involved.
Leuthard said it was too early to assess whether the fact that a foundation with some private funding is supporting victims showed that Switzerland’s existing victim assistance system was inadequate. She said lessons from the tragedy should first be examined before any debate on possible legal changes.