A tragic incident at a Swiss ski resort has resulted in another fatality, increasing the death toll to 41 following the New Year’s Eve fire. An 18-year-old victim succumbed to injuries sustained in the Alpine bar fire at a Zurich hospital on Saturday.
The Swiss public prosecutor announced this grim development, withholding further details on the ongoing investigation. Initial reports suggest that the fire may have been triggered by sparkling candles on Champagne bottles igniting foam on the bar’s ceiling at the crowded Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.
The blaze erupted shortly after midnight on January 1, causing chaos as party attendees scrambled to escape the burning establishment. Authorities are now probing whether the ceiling’s soundproofing material met safety standards and if the use of sparkler candles in the bar was compliant with regulations, given that the last fire safety inspection took place in 2019.
The owners of the bar, French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are facing a criminal inquiry by Swiss prosecutors. They are under suspicion for negligent homicide, bodily harm due to negligence, and causing a fire inadvertently. Jacques Moretti was initially detained for three months pending trial in Valais but was later released on bail.
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