Swiss Prosecutors Seek Detention of Bar Co-owner After Crans-Montana Blaze

Swiss prosecutors have requested that a court place Jacques Moretti, a co-owner of the Le Constellation bar, in pretrial detention as investigators continue to probe a New Year’s Eve inferno at the Crans-Montana ski resort that left 40 people dead and scores injured. The request, made by the Valais public prosecutor’s office, follows hours of questioning of Jacques and his wife, Jessica Moretti, whom the Swiss business register lists as the venue’s owners. Jessica Moretti was released after questioning and will remain under judicial supervision; prosecutors said their detention request for Jacques was aimed at preventing "a risk of flight."

The blaze erupted less than two hours after midnight on January 1 during a packed celebration. Preliminary investigations point to sparklers or small pyrotechnics placed atop bottles of alcohol as the ignition source. Video and witness accounts reviewed by investigators indicate the pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation in the ceiling, producing a rapidly spreading fire. Authorities have highlighted that formal safety inspections at the venue had not been conducted since 2019, a lapse that has become central to the criminal inquiry.

Prosecutors have opened criminal proceedings against the owners on suspicion of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire. Under Swiss criminal procedure, law enforcement may place a suspect in provisional detention for up to 48 hours while a court considers a prosecutor’s formal detention request; a local court official noted that at the time of reporting the court had not yet received the formal filing in this case. Some reporting has said Jacques Moretti was in custody pending the court’s decision, while other details remained in flux as magistrates weighed the prosecutor’s appeal.

The scale of the disaster has stung a country that prides itself on safety and well regulated public spaces. Switzerland observed a national day of mourning in honor of the 40 victims. A memorial service and a minute of silence were followed by five-minute bell tolls at 2 p.m., and citizens lit candles and laid flowers at sites around the country. The public ceremony was broadcast nationwide, underscoring the shock felt beyond the Valais canton and among international visitors who frequent Swiss winter resorts.

Beyond the immediate criminal process, the case carries broader implications for alpine tourism and cross-border business ownership. Le Constellation’s owners are French nationals, illustrating how legal, regulatory and reputational consequences can cross borders in Europe's interconnected leisure economy. Authorities and industry groups face pressure to reassess safety enforcement, licensing, and emergency preparedness at venues that mix high occupancy with decorative flammables and impromptu pyrotechnics.

Investigators said they are continuing forensic work to clarify technical causes and chain-of-responsibility questions that will influence any future charges. With families still seeking answers and a court decision pending on the detention request, Swiss officials must balance vigorous criminal inquiry with the careful handling of a tragedy that has resonated across communities at home and abroad.