Swiss police investigate Crans-Montana ski resort fire to question Le Constellation bar

Geneva —The French owners of the Bar at Swiss ski resort that caught fire on New Year’s Eve will be questioned on Friday, sources close to the investigation said. French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti owned and managed the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, which was packed with young partiers when the fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. on January 1.

Forty people, most of them teenagers, were killed and 116 were injured.

The two, who face charges of negligent homicide, negligent bodily injury and negligent arson, will be questioned by prosecutors in the nearby city of Sion, a source close to the investigation, who asked not to be identified, told News on Thursday.

This will be the first time investigators have questioned the couple since charges were filed against them. announced on saturday.

The couple, who have not been detained, said in a statement Tuesday that they were “devastated and overwhelmed by grief” and pledged their “full cooperation” with investigators.

“Under no circumstances will we attempt to skirt these issues,” they said.

Several questions have been raised about whether fire safety regulations were followed at the bar, where prosecutors believe the fire started when champagne bottles with sparklers got too close to soundproofing foam on the bar’s basement ceiling.

On Tuesday, municipal authorities acknowledged that no fire safety inspections had been carried out at Le Constellation since 2019.

Questions have also been raised about the couple’s background and numerous real estate holdings.

French newspaper Le Parisien reported earlier this week that Jacques Moretti was known to authorities and served a prison sentence about 20 years ago in southern France on charges related to prostitution and kidnapping.

Sebastien Fanti, a lawyer representing four families of the injured, welcomed the news that the Morettis would be questioned in the case, telling News he hoped it would mark “a welcome revival of the investigation”.

The interrogation will focus on the couple’s personal circumstances, according to another source close to the case.

“It is essential to determine the personal situation of the accused, especially from a financial point of view,” Romain Jordan, a lawyer representing several families, told News.

Once the investigation is concluded, the Wallis region prosecutor’s office will determine whether to file an indictment against the couple or close the case.