‘Can't Eat Or Sleep’: Owners Of Swiss Bar Break Silence After Deadly Fire Killed 40 On New Year’s Eve

Last Updated:January 03, 2026, 09:51 IST

Jacques Moretti insists Le Constellation in Crans-Montana followed safety rules after a New Year’s Eve fire killed 40 and injured 119.

Jacques Moretti insists Le Constellation in Crans-Montana followed safety rules after a New Year’s Eve fire killed 40 and injured 119. (IMAGE: @OsiOsint1/X)

The owner of a bar in a Swiss ski resort town devastated by a deadly New Year’s Eve fire has insisted that all safety regulations were followed, even as investigators continue to probe the cause of the tragedy.

Jacques Moretti, a French national who runs the Le Constellation bar with his wife Jessica in Crans-Montana, told Swiss daily Tribune de Geneve on Friday that the establishment had undergone “three inspections in 10 years" and was operating within the rules.

“Everything was done according to the regulations," he said.

Speaking to news outlet 20Minutes, Moretti said the couple were deeply shaken by the tragedy.

“We cannot sleep or eat," he said, adding that they are fully cooperating with investigators.

“We will do everything we can to help clarify the causes. We are doing everything in our power."

The question of whether safety norms were adhered to has been central since the blaze broke out in the basement of the bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations. The fire killed 40 people and injured 119 others, according to police figures released on Friday.

Le Constellation, located on the ground floor of a residential building, is listed as having a capacity of 300 people, with space for another 40 on its terrace, according to the Crans-Montana tourism website.

Several witnesses said the basement event space where the fire originated was connected to the ground floor by a single staircase, which some described as narrow, raising concerns about evacuation routes.

The lead prosecutor in Switzerland’s southwestern Wallis canton, Beatrice Pilloud, said compliance with safety standards is a key focus of the ongoing investigation. She told reporters that the leading hypothesis is that sparklers or Bengal candles attached to champagne bottles were raised too close to the ceiling, igniting the fire.

Images shared on social media appear to show the ceiling lined with thin soundproofing foam catching fire, with flames spreading rapidly. In one widely circulated video, revellers can be seen continuing to dance for several seconds, seemingly unaware of the danger.

Pilloud said the bar’s managers escaped unharmed and are currently being questioned as witnesses. No liability has been established at this stage. Investigators are examining the layout of the venue, details of recent renovations, its permitted capacity, and whether the soundproofing foam used in the basement met safety standards.

According to media reports, Jacques Moretti was not present at Le Constellation when the fire broke out, as he was at the couple’s other establishment. His wife Jessica was inside the bar at the time, suffered minor injuries, and has since returned home.

News world ‘Can't Eat Or Sleep’: Owners Of Swiss Bar Break Silence After Deadly Fire Killed 40 On New Year’s Eve

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