Owner of Swiss bar where huge fire killed 40 people arrested

Prosecutors are currently investigating the French owners of the Le Constellation bar on suspicion of crimes including homicide ⁠by negligence.

Jacques Moretti, a 49-year-old French national from Corsica, and his wife Jessica, 40, who is from Cannes, are also suspected of negligent bodily harm and negligent arson, following the fire that destroyed their establishment.

Prosecutor Catherine Seppey determined that Jacques Moretti is a flight risk due to his nationality - as France does not extradite its citizens - and his extensive mobility over the years justified his detention.

Mr Moretti has worked in Corsica, Haute-Savoie, and Switzerland in recent years.

Families of the victims of the fire have filed legal complaints over the fire at the bar in Crans-Montana.

The development represents a new approach from Swiss police, who previously said they did not believe the owners were a flight risk.

"No coercive measures have been ordered against the defendants, given that the criteria for pre-trial detention are not currently met," Valais police said in a press release.

"Currently, there is no suspicion that the defendants intend to evade criminal proceedings or the foreseeable punishment by fleeing. The other criteria, namely the risk of recidivism or collusion, are not taken into consideration."

The New Year’s Eve fire was triggered when soundproofing foam beneath the ceiling ignited after sparklers placed in empty bottles were raised into the air by staff, according to prosecutors.

Survivors have described how the flames spread through the crowded bar in a matter of minutes, trapping dozens of people, particularly in the basement area.

Swiss Justice Minister, Beat Jans, previously said temperatures during the blaze must have reached "500C-600C".

Ages of those who died ranged between 14 and 39, with roughly half under the age of 18.

Twenty-one of the dead were from Switzerland, seven from France, and six from Italy.

A Swiss-French dual national and a French-British-Israeli national were also among those who died.

Swiss authorities have designated today a national day of mourning following the fire, which also left 116 people injured.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella and French President Emmanuel Macron joined Swiss leaders, victims' families and firefighters at a ceremony in the Swiss town of Martigny, where a minute's silence was held to remember the victims.

Dozens of people also gathered near the shuttered bar in nearby Crans-Montana in silence.

Authorities placed hundreds of letters, teddy bears and bouquets of flowers for the fire victims.

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