The owners of a Swiss bar where a devastating New Year's fire killed 40 people, including 20 children, have been placed under police protection, it has been confirmed. Jacques Moretti and his wife Jessica, proprietors of Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, were given the emergency security measures as public anger mounts over the tragedy.
Owners Face Prosecutors as Father Speaks Out
Jean Moretti, Jacques's father, confirmed the security arrangements on Friday as his son and daughter-in-law faced prosecutors. The couple are being investigated on charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence.
"My son bears responsibility because it’s his company, but whether he’s guilty remains to be seen," Mr Moretti Snr stated. "In the end, we will only have to answer to the justice system. We will not hide or shirk our responsibility."
He passionately defended the family's character, saying they were "respectable people, not criminals" who think constantly of the victims. "We, too, have lost family members and loved ones. We cry every day. I can’t sleep anymore," he told the press.
Jacques Moretti was subsequently held in pre-trial detention following questioning, while his wife Jessica, 40, was released after being quizzed. Outside the Public Prosecutors Office in Sion, a distraught Jessica Moretti said, "My constant thoughts are with the victims... It is an unimaginable tragedy. Never, ever could we have imagined this. It happened in our establishment and I want to apologise."
A Nation Mourns as Young Survivors Address Memorial
The revelations came on a national day of mourning in Switzerland, nine days after the fire on 1st January 2026. The blaze, which also left 116 people injured, struck during New Year celebrations.
An official memorial service was held at the "Le Régent" convention centre in Martigny, attended by around 1,000 people, including French President Emmanuel Macron, emergency workers, and grieving families. The ceremony was profoundly moving, with young survivors delivering emotional speeches that brought many, including President Macron, to tears.
Marie Albrecht, who was present at the bar, described the scene: "We went to the bar that evening for one last drink. Then it turned into a nightmare... The smell of burning was unbearable."
Fellow survivor Aline Morisoli addressed the resilience of her generation, stating, "We are a generation growing up in a difficult, often unfair, fragile world. And yet we move forward." A third survivor, Solal Heimendinger, led thanks to the emergency services, who received a minute's applause.
Hundreds more braved snowy conditions in Crans-Montana's Place du Scandia to watch a live broadcast of the service. A nationwide minute's silence was observed, and church bells rang out for five minutes across Switzerland.
Investigation Focuses on Sparklers and Safety Failures
Prosecutors believe the fire started in the bar's basement. The initial theory suggests champagne bottles with party sparklers attached were raised too close to sound insulation foam on the ceiling. Experts indicate the highly-flammable foam may have caused a catastrophic "flashover," where materials ignite simultaneously.
The ongoing investigation will scrutinise the responsibilities of both the bar owners and local authorities. Officials have admitted that no fire safety inspections had been conducted at Le Constellation since 2019.
The international scale of the tragedy is stark, with victims from 19 different nationalities. Of the 116 injured, 83 remain hospitalised. The community continues to grieve, with a growing memorial of flowers, candles, and messages at the site of the charred bar, its facade now covered in snow.
