A terrible fire engulfed the Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, as New Year’s was being celebrated. Most tragically, it took the lives of 40 people—including dozens of teenagers. Jacques Moretti, co-owner of the establishment, was arrested Friday as authorities continued to probe the incident.
A major fire broke out at the Constellation bar. This restaurant doubles down on their age-based discrimination by enforcing a no-one-under-16 rule. According to Moretti, patrons between the ages of 16 and 18 have to come in with an adult. His wife and co-owner, Jessica Moretti, highlighted the bar’s tradition of enhancing special occasions by saying, “We always add a sparkler candle when we serve a bottle of wine in the dining room.”
Following the tragic event, Jacques Moretti informed investigators that he had installed acoustic foam in the bar himself after purchasing the establishment in 2015. He described getting the foam from a hardware store and worrying whether or not it might be flammable. Moretti ran tests, determining that the types of candles used during celebrations were not sufficient to light the foam on fire.
The investigation did discover a vital piece of information. Jacques Moretti had locked a service door from the inside, and that door became the key to the entire tragedy. This was the door he kicked in when first arriving on the scene — to find multiple people down behind that very door. Moretti immediately reported the locked door to the Valais public prosecutor’s office. He found this particular detail right after the fire started.
In light of the findings and his role in the incident, Moretti acknowledged, “It is possible that there was a lapse in protocol.” His comments have called into question the safety measures and emergency plan in place at the bar.
Authorities are still looking into what caused the fire and if Moretti and his crew made the right calls in those moments. This tragic loss of life has reverberated across our local community and far beyond. This tragic incident has ignited nationwide conversations about the need for safety provisions at such places of business.