Owner Detained Following Fatal Fire at Swiss Ski Resort on New Year's Eve

Owner Detained After Tragedy in Crans-Montana

One of the co-owners of the Swiss bar where 40 people perished in a fire on New Year's Eve has been detained. Sources from Swiss media disclosed that Jacques Moretti, a French citizen, posed a flight risk. The fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana left 116 individuals injured, many of whom were under the age of 20.

Recent reports indicate that the bar had not undergone safety inspections for five years. Jacques Moretti and his French wife Jessica, who co-own the bar, are under criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors. The couple is suspected of negligent homicide, negligent bodily injury, and negligent arson, according to the Valais prosecutor's office.

The blaze reportedly started when New Year's Eve celebrants raised champagne bottles with sparklers, igniting the insulating foam on the bar's basement ceiling. On Friday, Switzerland observed a moment of silence on a national day of mourning for the victims of the fire. Church bells rang for five minutes, and trains and trams came to a halt. Zurich Airport temporarily suspended operations. At a local memorial organized in Crans-Montana, firefighters received a standing ovation.