People lit candles outside the bar in Crans-Montana. Credit line: Antonio Calanni / AP / Profimedia
The two managers of the bar “Le Constellation” where a fire that broke out on New Year's Eve killed at least 40 people have been placed under criminal investigation, Swiss prosecutors have announced as quoted by The Guardian.
The French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who are also the owners of the Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort, are suspected of manslaughter, manslaughter and arson, the Valais canton prosecutor's office said in a statement on Saturday.
Investigators believe “fountain” fireworks, mounted on champagne bottles and held too close to the ceiling, caused the deadly fire.
A video being shared on social media on Friday appeared to show the ceiling of the basement where the New Year's party was being held, apparently clad in foam panels for sound insulation, catching fire as fireworks were held aloft.
“A criminal investigation was opened last night against the two managers of the bar,” said police and the public prosecutor's office in the southwestern Swiss canton of Wallis.
The authorities recalled that “the presumption of innocence applies until a final conviction is pronounced.”
Switzerland continues its investigation into the fire outbreak in the Crans-Montana resort
They plan to check whether the soundproofing material on the ceiling met the regulations and whether the candles were allowed for use in the bar.
The process of identifying the dead and injured continued on Saturday as relatives waited, desperate for news.
Officials said they will also review other safety measures on the premises, including the existence of fire extinguishers and escape routes. The region's chief prosecutor warned that criminal prosecutions were possible if any violations of the law were found.
The Valais region's chief security officer, Stéphane Ganzer, told public radio station SRF on Saturday that “an accident of this magnitude, with a fire in Switzerland, means that something didn't work – maybe the materials, maybe the organization on site.” He added: “Something didn't work and someone made a mistake, I'm sure of it.”
But Nicolas Féraud, who heads the municipality of Crans-Montana, told RTS radio station that he was convinced the bar checks were not superficial, the radio station reported.
