Swiss and Belgian doctors launch charity for burn victims after Crans-Montana fire

Keystone / Adrien Perritaz

An association has been set up five months after the Crans-Montana bar fire, which claimed 41 lives and left over 100 people injured.

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Known as Initiative Phoenix, it is backed by a medical committee of about half a dozen Swiss and Belgian surgeons and aims to support work and medical innovation in the treatment of severe burn injuries.

The association also aims to promote and strengthen cooperation between specialists working in burn care, as well as support scientific, humanitarian and social initiatives for victims of serious accidents – not just those linked to the fire.

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Dr Johann Wary, a Belgian plastic surgeon based in Crans-Montana, has taken on the role of president. “I live 50 metres from the bar and work at the clinic directly opposite the Le Constellation bar,” he said.

Swiss and Belgian practitioners

Former Michelin-starred chef Didier de Courten is the association’s vice-president. Initiative Phoenix has eight members on its committee.

“We’ve all been deeply affected by what happened,” he said. “As someone in the hospitality sector, it brought home to me that incidents like this can occur, and I wanted to do my bit by supporting the association.”

Six Swiss and Belgian doctors make up the scientific committee, including specialists from Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) such as the head of plastic surgery, Professor Yves Harder.

They responded to a call from Professor Benoît Lengelé of Louvain Hospital, who was knighted by Belgium’s King Albert II in 2009 and is regarded as one of the pioneers of reconstructive surgery.

Volunteer doctors

“Plastic surgery is tailored to the individual. Every patient should have access to the best possible care,” he told RTS programme La Matinale. The aim, he said, is to bring together a panel of experts in plastic surgery and other specialties relevant to burn injuries.

All the doctors are working on a voluntary basis. “That’s a requirement for joining the committee.”

In practical terms, the aim is to offer advice to victims and their families, with no obligation. “Our association aims to offer a helping hand with expertise and no vested interest,” said the Belgian doctor. He added: “We’ve already had informal contact with three Swiss families.”

The association also hopes to raise funds, particularly to support research into burn care, which it says is “chronically underfunded”. It plans to offer scholarships for young plastic surgeons and help pay medical procedures not covered by insurance, said Wary.

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The Initiative Phoenix committee also plans to host an annual international scientific symposium in Crans-Montana focused on severe burn injuries. The first edition could take place in the first quarter of 2027.

Translated from French by AI/sp

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