Swiss prosecutors said on Friday that they had ordered one of the two owners of a ski resort bar where 40 people died in a New Year’s Day fire to be detained on grounds of flight risk, and local media reported the order had been carried out.
Prosecutors are investigating the French business owners for crimes including manslaughter, but the families of the victims of the Le Constellation bar fire in Crans-Montana, Valais are filing legal charges.
Shortly after the Swiss newspaper 24 Hours of Race reported that one of the couple, Jacques Moretti, had been detained, prosecutors announced that they had issued an order for his detention.
Valais cantonal police declined to comment.
Earlier, Jack and Jessica Moretti did not respond to reporters’ questions when they entered the Zion town prosecutor’s office for the hearing. Swiss authorities declared Friday a national day of mourning.
The couple expressed their sadness over the fire and said they would fully cooperate with the investigation. More than half of the dead were teenagers, and a further 116 people were injured, many seriously.
French and Italian nationals were among the dead, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for harsh punishment for those responsible for the fire.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella and French President Emmanuel Macron joined Swiss leaders, families of the victims and firefighters at a ceremony in the town of Martigny on Friday, during which a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the victims.
Dozens of people also stood silently with their heads bowed under heavy snow near a shuttered bar in nearby Crans-Montana.
Authorities placed hundreds of letters, teddy bears and bouquets of flowers for the fire victims under an igloo to protect them from the snow.
Demand for accountability
Speaking at the Martigny ceremony, Swiss President Guy Palmerin said he hoped those responsible for the fire would be held accountable “without delay and with leniency.”
Matthias Reynard, head of the Valais government, said it must also include the relevant political authorities.
Speaking in Rome on Friday, Meloni vowed to help the families of the Italian victims find justice and said he was considering banning the use of sparklers indoors in Italy.
“What happened in Crans-Montana was the result of too many people not doing their jobs or thinking they could have fun and make money. Those responsible must be identified and prosecuted.”
Witnesses and prosecutors said the fire appeared to be caused by the use of glowing candles to light the soundproofing foam in the basement ceiling.
Questions remain about oversight at the bar, with the local mayor admitting this week that he had failed to conduct multiple safety inspections.
Prosecutors said over the weekend that the legal criteria to hold the bar owners had so far not been met.
“We are devastated and heartbroken. Our thoughts are always with the victims, their loved ones who have suffered cruel and untimely bereavements, and all those fighting for their lives,” the owners said in a statement on January 6.
Of the dead, 21 were Swiss, seven were French and six were Italian. The dead included dual Swiss-French nationals, as well as French, British and Israeli nationals.
