One of the owners of a Swiss nightclub destroyed in a deadly fire at a New Year’s party fled the venue without warning those inside of the danger that was unfolding, prosecutors have said.
The inferno at Le Constellation bar in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana killed 41 people and injured another 115.
The fire is believed to have been caused as staff waved champagne bottles plugged with sparklers close to the ceiling.
Investigators believe it then rapidly developed into a ‘flashover’ – likely igniting much of the venue in seconds and rendering escape almost impossible.
Swiss prosecutors showed security footage taken inside the venue to lawyers representing the families of the victims earlier this week, it is reported.
Fabrizio Ventimiglia, representing 16-year-old Italian survivor Sofia Donadio, said a video showed Jessica Moretti, who owned the bar with her husband, running up the stairs to the exit after she spotted the fire.
‘What makes me angry is she does not help anyone and does not stop anyone entering – she doesn’t say anything, and I believe she had a moral, ethical and legal obligation to do so,’ said Mr Ventimiglia.
Ms Moretti told prosecutors she ‘panicked’ when she saw the flames and left the bar to call the fire brigade, adding that her intention was to come back when the venue had been evacuated.
Jessica Moretti, one of the owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, pictured in February
The moment the packed Swiss nightclub burst into flames after a waitress waved champagne bottles topped with sparklers beneath a low ceiling
Flowers and candles in tribute to the victims are displayed at a makeshift memorial following the fire during a New Year’s Eve party
The Times reported Mr Ventimiglia asked: ‘Why didn’t she block people who continued to enter? That’s serious.’
The lawyer added that footage showed Ms Moretti and her staff inserting the sparklers in champagne bottles before she lit the sparkler she was carrying.
Read More
Swiss inferno bar owner breaks down after she is mobbed by relatives of victims
‘She is obviously the boss and so it’s logical to assume she was deciding everything,’ he said.
Ms Moretti said that one of the security guards she had hired, Stefan Ivanovic, knew where the fire extinguishers were.
But Mr Ventimiglia said video appeared to show the security guard and the bar’s DJ – both who were victims of the fire – searching for the extinguishers.
‘At first they can’t find them, then the DJ finds one but it’s too late,’ he said.
Ms Moretti and her husband Jacques are under criminal investigation, facing charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence.
They face up to 20 years in prison if charged and found guilty of manslaughter.
Investigators believe that sparkling candles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling, which was outfitted with soundproofing material.
Should bar owners be held criminally responsible when their actions put patrons’ lives at risk?
Le Constellation owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti arrive to attend a hearing as part of the inquiry on February 11
They are looking into whether the material conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.
Local authorities have said that fire safety inspections of the bar hadn’t been carried out since 2019.
With high-altitude ski runs rising around 3,000 meters (nearly 9,850 ft) in the heart of the Valais region, Crans-Montana is a major destination for international alpine skiing competitions.
