The owner of Le Constellation, the Swiss bar where a New Year's Eve fire killed 40 people, has been arrested as investigators face mounting criticism over the pace of the inquiry. Jacques Moretti was taken into custody on Friday after being questioned by prosecutors in Sion, a source confirmed. His wife, Jessica Moretti, who co-owns the bar, is also under investigation for manslaughter through negligence but has not been detained.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of 1 January in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana, is one of Switzerland's worst tragedies in recent history. The death toll stands at 40, with victims mostly in their teens and 20s, including a 14-year-old. A further 116 people were injured, 83 of whom remain hospitalised with severe burns. The majority of victims were from Switzerland, France and Italy.
Authorities believe the fire started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles were held too close to a ceiling clad with soundproofing foam in the bar's cramped basement. A social media image showed a female server holding sparklers moments before the blaze; she was among the dead. The investigation is focusing on renovations, fire-extinguishing systems, escape routes and the number of people in the building at the time.
In a startling revelation, the mayor of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Féraud, admitted that no safety inspections had been carried out at the bar since 2019, despite annual checks being required by local law. “We’re profoundly sorry, and I know how hard that will be for the families,” he said, pledging transparency.
Lawyers for the victims' families have accused investigators of moving too slowly. Romain Jordan and Ronald Asmar, of Geneva-based firm Merkt, claimed the Morettis deactivated the bar's Instagram and Facebook accounts after the fire, deleting potentially useful evidence. “This attitude should have alerted the prosecutors immediately,” Jordan said, adding that authorities initially tried to exclude family lawyers from the hearing.
The Morettis, who bought the bar in 2015 and renovated it, have denied wrongdoing. In a statement, they said they were “devastated and overwhelmed with grief” and promised full cooperation. A national day of mourning was held on Friday, with a memorial attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
