A deeply disturbing video has emerged showing a staff member at a Swiss ski bar pleading with New Year's revellers to keep sparklers away from its flammable ceiling foam – a full six years before a catastrophic fire at the same venue killed 40 people and left 116 injured.
A Foreshadowed Tragedy
The footage, sent to Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) by a former guest, was recorded at Le Constellation nightclub in the upscale resort of Crans-Montana during 2019 celebrations. In the clip, a waiter is heard shouting urgently, 'Watch out for the foam, watch out for the foam,' as a champagne bottle topped with a sparkler is waved perilously close to the ceiling.
The guest who provided the video recalled the moment, stating the group was 'very close to the ceiling' and that the waiter, as an adult, had recognised the potential risk. Swiss authorities have since confirmed the enormous fire on New Year's Eve 2025 was ignited when sparklers were held too close to ceiling panels made of highly flammable foam soundproofing.
Investigators believe this triggered a rapid 'flashover', likely causing the entire venue to ignite within seconds and making escape nearly impossible for many inside.
Victims and a Criminal Probe
The blaze claimed 40 lives from seven different nations. More than half of the victims were aged 18 or under. Among the dead were Swiss teenage sisters Alicia and Diana Gunst, aged 15 and 14, and French producer Matéo Lesguer. Many victims suffered severe third-degree burns, with some so badly injured they could only be identified through DNA analysis.
A criminal investigation for manslaughter, bodily harm, and causing a fire by negligence has been launched targeting the bar's French managers, Jacques Moretti and his wife Jessica. Reports from French and Belgian media reveal Jacques Moretti has a serious criminal past, having been imprisoned in Savoie in 2005 for involvement in pimping, fraud, kidnapping, and false imprisonment.
Both owners were questioned by Swiss prosecutors and remain at liberty while assisting the enquiry. The bar had reportedly not undergone any safety checks, investigations, or audits for five years, contrary to local fire codes mandating annual inspections for public buildings.
Systemic Failures and Mourning
Former employees have alleged further safety lapses, claiming fire extinguishers were kept locked and an emergency exit was often secured. The bar, built in 1977, was last inspected in 2015 after an extension was added, but officials focused only on the new terrace, not the interior.
When questioned about the five-year inspection gap, Crans-Montana’s mayor, Nicolas Feraud, said he had 'no answer' and expressed profound sorrow, while suggesting the municipality also considered itself a victim. Funerals for the victims began this week, with five of the six Italian victims repatriated on Monday.
As tributes of flowers and candles accumulate at a makeshift memorial, and firefighters pay their respects, the devastating video stands as a haunting testament to warnings unheeded and safety tragically ignored.
