A criminal investigation has been launched into the fire, with families now facing an agonising wait to identify missing loved ones.

The victims are the first to be identified by police following the New Year's Eve blaze inside the Le Constellation bar, located in the Alpine town of Crans-Montana, in the Valais canton.

The first victim of a fire that tore through a bar in Crans-Montana has been identified as a young Italian golfer. But officials have said the process of identifying the victims will take time, as families await answers.