Jacques Moretti, co-proprietor of the Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, has been ordered into preventive detention for an initial three-month period. The decision, announced Monday by the Wallis Cantonal Court of Compulsory Measures, cites a substantiated flight risk as the primary justification for his incarceration. This development follows a criminal investigation launched against Moretti and his wife Jessica, who jointly owned the establishment, in connection with a catastrophic fire on New Year’s Day that resulted in 40 fatalities and 116 injuries, predominantly among teenagers.
The couple faces severe charges including manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence. While Jacques Moretti is now in custody, the public prosecutor’s office deemed the risk of flight for his wife, Jessica, could be mitigated through alternative measures due to her personal background and ties, allowing her to remain free. The court indicated a willingness to reconsider Jacques Moretti’s detention should he comply with specific conditions requested by prosecutors, such as providing a substantial security deposit.
Preliminary investigative findings point to sparklers igniting highly flammable soundproofing foam on the basement ceiling as the blaze’s origin. The tragedy has ignited intense scrutiny over the bar’s safety protocols, with critical questions emerging regarding the availability of fire extinguishers, the regulatory compliance of emergency exits, and the alarming discovery that a crucial service door was locked from the inside—a fact Jacques Moretti reported to investigators after he was forced to break it open to find victims behind it.
Furthermore, local authorities have conceded that no official fire safety inspections had been conducted at Le Constellation since 2019, a revelation that has provoked public outrage. Lawyers representing the victims’ families have expressed vehement criticism of the investigative process, with some declaring the partial detention an imperfect outcome and vowing to continue their pursuit of full accountability, emphasizing the profound grief and anger of those who lost loved ones.