Swiss authorities have admitted that fire safety inspections were not carried out for five years at the bar where 40 people died following a devastating fire on New Year’s Eve.
The blaze at Le Constellation, located in a ski resort in Crans-Montana, also left 116 people injured, 83 of whom remain hospitalized. Most of the victims were teenagers, authorities confirmed.
Prosecutors believe the fire started during New Year celebrations, when champagne bottles fitted with fireworks ignited insulating foam on the basement ceiling.
Although inspections, including fire safety checks, were conducted in 2016, 2018, and 2019, no periodic inspections took place between 2020 and 2025, Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud admitted during a press conference held five days after the tragedy.
“We deeply regret this failure,” Feraud said, acknowledging that the law requires annual fire safety inspections in venues open to the public. He added that it remains unclear why the inspections were not conducted.
In a statement, the municipality said the lapse was discovered while reviewing documents submitted to the Valais cantonal prosecutor’s office.
“The courts will determine the impact this failure had on the chain of events that led to the tragedy. The municipality will fully assume responsibility in accordance with judicial decisions,” the statement said.
Criminal Investigation Underway
Local authorities announced that they will hire an external agency to inspect all public venues and ban the use of pyrotechnic devices inside enclosed spaces.
The bar is owned and managed by French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who are now under criminal investigation. They face charges of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson.
Le Constellation, founded in 1967, had an officially registered capacity of 100 people on the ground floor and 100 in the basement, according to municipal records.
Victims
Swiss authorities said the average age of the victims was 19, with eight victims under the age of 16.
Most of the deceased were Swiss nationals, along with nine French and six Italian citizens.
“This tragedy could have been prevented,” Italian Ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado said earlier this week.
