Swiss Authorities Investigate Jacques Moretti for Deadly Fire at Crans–Montana Ski Bar After 40 Die and Over 100 Are Injured

A night meant for celebration turned into disaster at the popular Swiss ski bar, Le Constellation, in Crans–Montana.

On New Year’s Day, a fire tore through the venue, claiming 40 lives and leaving 119 people injured. Early investigations suggest the blaze started when sparklers were placed in champagne bottles, igniting the basement ceiling and spreading rapidly.

---

Owner’s Troubling Past Comes to Light

The bar’s owner, Jacques Moretti, a French national in his 60s, is now under scrutiny as details of his criminal past emerge.

According to French media, Moretti has spent time in prison for fraud, kidnapping, and false imprisonment, and has been involved in pimping cases dating back over twenty years.

Le Parisien reports: “Jacques Moretti is no stranger to the French justice system.” RTL, a French radio network, confirmed Moretti’s imprisonment in Savoie in 2005.

Despite these revelations, Moretti has not been formally charged in connection with the fire and is currently cooperating with Swiss authorities.

---

Legal Proceedings Underway

Swiss prosecutors questioned Moretti and his wife, Jessica Moretti, who was at the bar during the fire and suffered a burn on her arm.

Both are free while authorities continue to investigate. Swiss Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud stated: “Everything suggests that the fire started with incandescent candles placed in champagne bottles, which were brought too close to the ceiling, causing a rapid and widespread conflagration.”

The couple have indicated that if criminal liability is confirmed, the inquiry will focus on arson by negligence and manslaughter by negligence.

---

Safety Regulations in Question

Moretti maintains that Le Constellation complied with all safety rules, though inspections were reportedly rare—just three times in ten years.

Local fire codes require annual inspections for venues open to the public or considered high-risk, raising concerns about oversight and enforcement.

---

Pattern of Sparkler Fires in Europe

This tragedy echoes a 2016 incident in Rouen, France, where sparklers in a bar’s basement caused a blaze that killed 14 people.

Following that fire, bar managers received prison sentences. Families of victims have called for stricter inspections and harsher penalties, warning that lessons from past tragedies have not been fully implemented.

Johnny Autin, who lost his 20-year-old daughter Megane in the Rouen fire, said: “More inspections and harsher penalties are needed to prevent this from happening again.”

---

Business Empire Amid Controversy

Jacques and Jessica Moretti have run Le Constellation since 2015 and own several other businesses in the Crans–Montana area and the French Riviera.

While the couple were not present during the fire, questions remain about how safety was managed in the bar that turned deadly.

---

Calls for Accountability Grow

With the tragic death toll mounting and the public demanding answers, Swiss and French authorities are under pressure to determine whether negligence or criminal liability played a role.

Meanwhile, families and survivors continue to grapple with the aftermath of a fire that turned celebration into catastrophe.

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn