Swiss Bar Fire Owners Face Furious Families in Court Confrontation
The owners of a Swiss bar where a devastating fire killed 41 people on New Year's Day were confronted by distraught family members outside a court hearing, with relatives shouting "you killed my son" and "you are monsters" as the couple arrived to testify.
Emotional Outburst at Court Entrance
As Jacques and Jessica Moretti, owners of the Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort, arrived at the Office of the Public Prosecutor in Sion, Switzerland on Thursday, they were swarmed by grieving relatives who blame them for the tragedy. The emotional scene unfolded as the Morettis attempted to enter the building for another day of questioning about the fatal incident.
One father yelled: "My son is dead. He was burnt," while other family members expressed their anguish directly to the bar owners. Fourteen-year-old Tobyas, wearing a T-shirt featuring a photo of himself and his 17-year-old brother Trystan Pidoux who perished in the blaze, stated: "I'm here to show Jessica Moretti that she destroyed families."
Legal Team Describes Incident as 'Attack'
Nicola Meier, a lawyer representing the Morettis, later described the confrontations as an "attack" on his clients, who had apparently wanted to hear from the families before entering what would become a lengthy hearing in Valais. "It was an attack," Meier said. "There was a physical outburst; we didn't expect the police to be absent."
During the courtroom proceedings on Thursday afternoon, Jessica Moretti broke down in tears as she admitted that evacuation drills were "never conducted" at the establishment and that "nobody asked us to do them." Addressing the families of victims directly, she said: "We understand your anger, your hatred. I reaffirm that we will be ready to answer every question; we will be there for you."
Owners Express Remorse and Promise Cooperation
Jacques Moretti echoed his wife's sentiments, telling the families: "We will take responsibility. We promise you, we are here for justice." Jessica Moretti insisted that her priority on the night of the tragedy had been to raise the alarm and evacuate people from the building.
According to early investigation findings, the fire erupted when sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited soundproof foaming on the ceiling. The blaze spread within seconds, with emergency services arriving to find some victims collapsed next to a locked rear exit. Others were piled together near the main exit, which became a fatal chokepoint, while additional victims died in the basement before they could escape.
Multiple Investigations and Growing Scrutiny
Four people are currently under investigation: the Morettis, along with a former and current local official. The bar owners and the town's mayor, who admitted to missed inspections, have all expressed regret about the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
Fabrizio Ventimiglia, an Italian lawyer representing victims' families, said he wanted answers not only about safety protocols in the bar, but also whether alcohol had been sold to minors and how many people were in the establishment at the time of the fire.
The Swiss authorities face increasing scrutiny both domestically and internationally over their handling of the case. Some relatives of victims say their confidence has been shaken by the fact prosecutors did not order autopsies of all the victims. Christian Pidoux, who convened grieving families on Thursday and has since received a preliminary autopsy report, questioned: "How did he die? Is it from burns? From smoke? Did people trample him?"
Evidence Collection Concerns
Christophe de Galembert, Pidoux's lawyer, expressed "very strong doubts about whether it will be possible to gather all the evidence now," citing missed opportunities to secure proof quickly. He noted that authorities only seized the bar owners' phones nine days after the fire occurred.
The owners of Le Constellation bar were accused by authorities in January of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence as details began to emerge. A lawyer involved in the case alleged that 24-year-old staff member Cyane Panine, who was identified carrying a champagne bottle with sparklers attached, had received no safety training and was unaware of the danger posed by the ceiling material that caught fire.
