Major Hotel Fire in Courchevel Triggers Large-Scale Evacuation
A substantial fire erupted at a prestigious five-star hotel in the renowned ski resort of Courchevel, located within the French Alps, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of individuals. The blaze, which ignited in the attic of the Hotel des Grandes Alpes at approximately 7pm on Tuesday, has prompted a significant emergency response.
Evacuation and Emergency Response
Initial reports from the Prefecture of the Savoie region indicated that nearly 100 people were evacuated. However, as the fire extended to a nearby structure, local media later updated this figure to approximately 270 evacuees. Authorities confirmed that the evacuation process was conducted calmly and efficiently, with no injuries reported among guests or staff.
Those displaced from the hotel are understood to have found temporary refuge in other accommodation establishments within the resort. Dramatic footage from the scene depicted firefighters courageously battling intense flames that consumed the roof of a wooden chalet, with dense, dark smoke billowing into the Alpine sky.
Ongoing Firefighting Efforts
The fire continued to burn into Wednesday morning, with the prefecture characterising the situation as a complex operation. At least 115 firefighters were deployed to combat the flames. Bruno Charlot, the sub-prefect of Albertville, informed local media that the fire had spread considerably overnight, underscoring the challenging conditions faced by emergency crews.
Context and Scrutiny of Fire Safety Measures
The cause of the Courchevel blaze remains under investigation. This incident has intensified scrutiny of fire safety protocols across Alpine regions, coming in the wake of a tragic fire at a bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve. That disaster resulted in 40 fatalities and over 100 injuries, many of whom were teenagers.
Swiss prosecutors have initiated a criminal investigation into the bar's owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, on suspicions of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and causing a fire by negligence. Investigators believe the fire was ignited by sparkling candles that were too close to a ceiling lined with soundproofing material. Authorities are examining whether this material complied with regulations and if the candles were permitted for use in the venue.
Investigation into the Crans-Montana Tragedy
Local officials have disclosed that fire safety inspections at the Crans-Montana bar had not been conducted since 2019. A critical finding from the investigation revealed that 34 of the deceased perished on a narrow stairwell. The owners had reduced the stairwell's width from three metres to just one metre during renovations in 2015, a modification described by multiple enquiry sources as playing a decisive role in the disaster.
The wooden steps and handrails collapsed under the pressure of the fleeing crowd, detaching from the wall and plunging into the basement. Mr. Moretti admitted to carrying out the renovations himself when he assumed management in 2015, though it is unclear if he obtained the necessary planning permissions.
Legal Proceedings and Evidentiary Concerns
During questioning, Mr. Moretti also stated that a ground-floor service door was locked from the inside at the time of the fire; he forced it open to find victims succumbing to suffocation behind it. Both he and his wife have denied any civil or criminal wrongdoing. Initially placed in pre-trial detention, Mr. Moretti was later released on bail, while a court imposed a travel ban on Ms. Moretti, requiring her to surrender her passport and report daily to police due to flight risk concerns. The couple potentially face up to 20 years in prison if charged and convicted of manslaughter.
Further complicating the investigation, it was revealed that the bar's CCTV system mysteriously crashed three minutes before the fire broke out, with footage only available up to 1.23am. Mr. Moretti claimed he could not reset the system. Additionally, pictures and videos of the bar on social media vanished hours after the tragedy, raising suspicions about potential evidence destruction.
