Crans-Montana fire chief questioned by police

In the bar “Le Constellation” 41 mostly young people died in a fire in the basement on New Year’s Eve. 115 other people were injured, many of them suffering severe burns. Investigators suspect that the fire was caused by fireworks attached to bottles that came too close to the ceiling.

Investigations should now provide information about the exact circumstances of the fire and clarify whether the owners of the bar violated safety regulations. The municipality had already admitted that there had been no fire safety checks in the bar since 2019 – even though these are required every year.

The investigation into negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson is directed against the bar’s French owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti. The security officer of the municipality of Crans-Montana and his predecessor are also being investigated. Several victim advocates are calling for further investigations into possible failures by the authorities.

Fire chief Vocat was present during the security and fire safety check at the bar in 2018, Swiss media reported. At that time, the community’s former safety officer had drawn up a list of defects, which was handed over to the couple who ran the bar when they took over the bar.

The fire chief’s hearing was eagerly awaited by victims’ lawyers after Swiss television station SRF reported on Sunday that an internal investigation in 2023 had already found serious deficiencies in the community’s fire protection.

He was surprised that this report was only published a month and a half after the incident, “even though the municipality had told us that it was working with the judiciary to find out the truth,” lawyer Alain Viscolo told the AFP news agency. “Unfortunately I have to conclude that this is not the case,” he added.