The proprietor of a Swiss tavern where numerous individuals perished in a fire on New Year’s Eve has been apprehended.
Jacques Moretti, the operator of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana where 40 individuals lost their lives in a tragic blaze, has been detained following an order from Swiss authorities.
Moretti, aged 49, had been free since the devastating incident eight days ago. However, Swiss prosecutors have now deemed him ‘a flight risk’ ahead of potential charges. His wife, Jessica Moretti, aged 40, is also under investigation. The couple, who are French nationals, are facing allegations of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. They were summoned for questioning after the fire claimed the lives of 40 people, mostly teenagers, and injured 116 others.
The prosecutors interrogated the couple on Friday regarding the fire at their bar, Le Constellation, in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana on January 1st.
The private hearing occurred as Switzerland observed a national day of mourning for the deceased and the severely burned individuals. The Morettis were escorted by police to the prosecutor’s office in Sion, the capital of the canton of Valais, on Friday. They declined to comment as they entered the building early in the morning.
The fire was one of the most severe in Swiss history, with tributes being paid to the victims. It is suspected that the blaze commenced when candle sparklers were held too close to the ceiling. Authorities are investigating whether the ceiling material, designed for sound insulation, complied with safety regulations.
A source involved in the inquiry stated: “Mr. Moretti was taken into custody following the hearing, while his wife was allowed to remain free. Mr. Moretti is considered a flight risk and has been detained to prevent him from leaving Switzerland.”
The victims of the fire, aged between 14 and 39, included individuals like Charlotte Niddam, who had received education in Britain. Legal representatives for the fire victims urged for the couple to be placed in pre-trial detention.
Sébastien Fanti, representing the hospitalized victims, remarked about Mr. Moretti before the hearing: “He’s a dubious individual whose actions raise suspicions.”
Experts believe that the sparklers ignited highly flammable acoustic foam, triggering a ‘flashover’ fire – a rapid explosion of everything in a confined space.
Families have lodged complaints with Switzerland’s prosecutor’s office. A Geneva-based lawyer, Romain Jordan, mentioned: “Each family has filed a complaint and joined the legal proceedings as a plaintiff. These applications have been accepted.”
Authorities are now looking into renovations carried out in 2015 amid claims of inadequate safety measures. They will also scrutinize the use of fire extinguishers and fire exits.
According to Switzerland’s Tribune de Genève newspaper, Mr. Moretti claimed that the bar had been inspected “three times in 10 years” and that “all operations were conducted within the standards.” The Morettis own two other establishments, one in Crans-Montana and another in nearby Lens.