Swiss prosecutors have ordered the detention of one of the owners of the bar where the devastating New Year's Eve fire in Crans-Montana killed 40 people and injured dozens, citing concerns over a "risk of flight". The request comes as Switzerland observes a national day of mourning for the victims.
Jacques Moretti, one of the bar's co-owners, has been held in pre-trial detention pending further investigation. His wife, Jessica Moretti, who was also involved in running the bar, remains free under judicial supervision.
The fire at La Constellation bar on New Year's Day is currently being treated as a crime of negligence. Authorities have said that they believe the blaze started due to sparklers attached to champagne bottles being raised too close to sound insulation foam in the bar's basement section.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin attended an official ceremony to commemorate the victims, calling for accountability and swift punishment from those responsible. The event was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, among others.
Parmelin stated that "hope depends on our justice system's ability to bring failures to light and impose consequences without delay or leniency." He also emphasized the moral responsibility of the state in addressing such tragedies.
More than half of those killed in the fire were teenagers, with another 116 people injured. A memorial outside the bar has been covered with a tarpaulin due to heavy snowfall.
Critics have pointed out that the bar had not undergone a safety inspection since 2019, drawing outrage. The owners have pledged their "full cooperation" with investigators and expressed their devastation at the tragedy.
As Switzerland holds its national day of mourning, the investigation into the fire continues, with prosecutors seeking to uncover those responsible for the devastating blaze.
Jacques Moretti, one of the bar's co-owners, has been held in pre-trial detention pending further investigation. His wife, Jessica Moretti, who was also involved in running the bar, remains free under judicial supervision.
The fire at La Constellation bar on New Year's Day is currently being treated as a crime of negligence. Authorities have said that they believe the blaze started due to sparklers attached to champagne bottles being raised too close to sound insulation foam in the bar's basement section.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin attended an official ceremony to commemorate the victims, calling for accountability and swift punishment from those responsible. The event was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, among others.
Parmelin stated that "hope depends on our justice system's ability to bring failures to light and impose consequences without delay or leniency." He also emphasized the moral responsibility of the state in addressing such tragedies.
More than half of those killed in the fire were teenagers, with another 116 people injured. A memorial outside the bar has been covered with a tarpaulin due to heavy snowfall.
Critics have pointed out that the bar had not undergone a safety inspection since 2019, drawing outrage. The owners have pledged their "full cooperation" with investigators and expressed their devastation at the tragedy.
As Switzerland holds its national day of mourning, the investigation into the fire continues, with prosecutors seeking to uncover those responsible for the devastating blaze.
. I mean, 40 people dead, dozens injured... how could this happen?! It's like, come on guys! You had a bar, you gotta be responsible and follow safety rules, right? 
It's not that hard. And now one of the owners is being held in detention, which is good, but it's also kinda harsh, you know? 
Jacques Moretti should have been more careful with those sparklers, I mean, who does that?! 
. It's just heartbreaking to think about what happened on New Year's Eve, in a place where people were supposed to be celebrating, not mourning 
.
. The government should be doing everything they can to support the victims' families and ensure that something like this never happens again 
. It's a tragedy, let's try to learn from it and move forward in a positive way 
.
I mean, what's next? A bar owner saying "I'm worried we'll get sued if we don't have adequate ventilation"? The owners thought they were above the law... guess not! 
Jacques is stuck in detention while his wife gets to chill at home. Guess she's got more money than sense, or at least a better lawyer 
.
40 people died in a fire that could've been prevented if the bar had done some basic safety checks. I mean, it's not like they were expecting a fire hazard inspection or something. 2019? That's ages ago! What kind of system lets a place go that long without checking for potential safety issues? 
this is so messed up. can't believe they were able to let that bar operate without a safety inspection in years and now people are paying the price 
. it's just not right. 40 lives lost, dozens injured... what kind of priority does that have on someone? accountability needs to be had here 
. hope the justice system delivers swift consequences for those responsible 
. this is a dark day for Switzerland and I'm not sure how they're going to bounce back from this 
i feel like we're still trying to figure out how this happened and who was really at fault 
and now one of the owners is being held in pre-trial detention pending further investigation, but still getting paid from the bar's insurance policy 
meanwhile the victims' families are still waiting for answers and justice 
this whole situation just feels so wrong 
. And now one of the owners is being held because of some concerns over "risk of flight" 
.
, it shows that we're all in this together 
. We gotta give the investigators all the space they need to get to the truth, but at the same time, accountability and swift punishment are crucial 
... my heart's with the families of the victims 
Swift justice is needed, no leniency whatsoever