Swiss investigators will question the French owners of a bar in the resort town of Crans-Montana after a New Year’s Eve fire killed 40 people, most of them teenagers, and injured more than 100 others.
Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who owned and ran the Le Constellation bar, are facing charges including manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and negligent arson. They are due to be questioned on Friday, January 9th, by prosecutors in the town of Sion, marking their first formal interrogation since the charges were announced.
Prosecutors are investigating whether fire safety rules were breached, after authorities confirmed the venue had not undergone a fire inspection since 2019. Investigators believe the blaze may have started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited insulation foam on the ceiling.
The couple, who have not been detained, said they were devastated by the tragedy and pledged full cooperation with the investigation. Prosecutors will later decide whether to bring the case to trial or close the proceedings.
