A former fire safety official from the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana has chosen to remain silent during questioning by prosecutors regarding a tragic bar fire that occurred on New Year’s Day. His attorney, Fabien Mingard, confirmed this decision to the media, stating, “My client exercised his right to remain silent as he does not yet have access to the case file. He will answer the public prosecutors’ questions as soon as he has access to the file.”
Details of the investigation
The former head of Crans-Montana’s fire safety department, whose identity has not been disclosed by Swiss media, was questioned for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. According to Robert Assael, an attorney representing the civil parties involved in the case, the hearing was brief due to the defendant’s refusal to cooperate once informed of the charges. “I am shocked that he did not answer the questions when the victims…are only waiting for one thing: the truth,” Assael expressed.
The devastating fire erupted at Le Constellation, a popular bar in the affluent Alpine resort, just as patrons were celebrating the New Year. The incident resulted in the deaths of 41 individuals, predominantly teenagers, and left an additional 115 injured.
Legal implications for bar owners
The investigation has expanded to include nine individuals facing criminal charges, among them the bar’s French owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti. They are specifically charged with manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. Their lawyer, Nicola Meier, noted his surprise at the former fire safety official’s silence but acknowledged, “it is his right” to decline to respond. Meier emphasized the Morettis’ willingness to cooperate, stating, “The Morettis…have never refused to answer a single question. They have always been fully cooperative, and that remains the case today and will continue to be.”
In the wake of the fire, prosecutors suspect that the blaze ignited when champagne bottles adorned with sparklers were raised too close to the ceiling in the bar’s basement, igniting the sound insulation foam. Public outrage was further fueled when the municipality disclosed that no annual safety inspections had been conducted at the bar since 2019.
Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Féraud is also set to be questioned in the upcoming days as the investigation continues.