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Co-Owner of Swiss Bar Detained Following Deadly New Year’s Inferno; Nation Mourns 40 Victims
Sion, Switzerland – Jacques Moretti, co-owner of Le Constellation bar in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, has been taken into custody following a devastating New Year’s Eve fire that claimed 40 lives. Prosecutors in the Swiss Valais region confirmed Moretti’s detention on Friday, citing a “risk of flight” as the reason for the measure. His wife and co-owner, Jessica Moretti, was released under judicial supervision.
The couple faces grave charges, including manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. They were questioned in Sion, near the site of the tragedy, as Switzerland observed a national day of mourning for the victims, many of whom were teenagers with an average age of 19.
A Nation United in Grief
Across Switzerland, a profound sense of loss permeated the air as citizens honored those who perished in the inferno. In Crans-Montana, a poignant makeshift memorial has taken shape outside the charred remains of Le Constellation bar. An igloo-like tarpaulin now shelters a growing collection of white roses, teddy bears, and flickering candles from the falling snow, a testament to the outpouring of grief.
Azeddine Mekrabech, 30, traveled from Lyon, France, to pay his respects, carefully placing 40 white roses at the memorial – one for each victim. “I’m someone who likes to party quite a bit.
It made me think of myself. I thought, I could have been at a party without paying attention and been trapped like that,” Mekrabech shared, visibly moved.
“I saw myself … I felt I had to make the gesture.”
Thousands gathered, both at the memorial and at the Crans-Montana congress center, where 1,400 people watched a live-streamed national memorial ceremony from Martigny. Several heads of state from European nations with citizens affected by the tragedy attended the service, underscoring the international impact of the disaster.
The congress center, which served as a hub for desperate families seeking information in the days following the fire, was filled with quiet sobs. When first responders entered, making their way to reserved seats, they were met with a spontaneous standing ovation.
Nicolas Dobler, a 38-year-old volunteer firefighter, expressed the profound difficulty of such an event: “It’s a situation you would never want to encounter. You can’t prepare for this kind of thing, it’s impossible.
Even with all the training in the world.”
Olena, a 61-year-old Ukrainian refugee now living in Sion, also made the journey to the mountainside to participate in the day of mourning. “I come from Ukraine, where people are also dying.
This was terrifying. I wanted to come and honor the victims,” she said.
Outside Le Constellation, 17-year-old Federico Gelle from Tuscany, Italy, knelt in prayer among the flowers, lighting a candle for those his own age who perished. With tears in his eyes, he reflected, “This is a terrible thing, but it was avoidable.”
Gelle expressed a chilling realization that if he had chosen to spend New Year’s Eve in Crans-Montana, as he had in previous years, he might have been among the victims. “It’s a thought that sent shivers down my spine…
I think I am very lucky.”
Matthias Gerhardt, 61, who traveled from Geneva to visit Crans-Montana for the first time, emphasized the importance of collective mourning. “What happened is so serious, it’s unbelievable.
That’s why I came all this way,” he stated. “We are in a state of national mourning.
It is important that we can express our anger, speak with people. It is important to participate.”
Investigators have indicated that sparklers are the likely cause of the deadly blaze, prompting questions about safety protocols and oversight at the popular ski resort establishment. The investigation into the exact circumstances of the fire is ongoing.