Crans-Montana bar owners face joint interrogation five months after New Year's fire killed 41

The confrontation hearing

Five months after a fire tore through the Le Constellation nightclub in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, its owners faced their first joint interrogation. Jacques and Jessica Moretti arrived at the Energypolis campus in Sion around 8 a.m. on Friday, where prosecutors from the Valais canton conducted a so-called confrontation hearing. The session, held behind closed doors, was attended by over 70 lawyers representing civil parties, as well as Romain Jordan, a lawyer mandated by the Italian government to join the proceedings.

The format allows prosecutors to question both owners on the same topics, either sequentially or in a ping-pong style, to identify inconsistencies in their accounts. Previous individual interrogations had yielded limited results, with each spouse reportedly deflecting questions by claiming the other held the relevant information, according to lawyers for the victims.

This is the first time we hear them, after reviewing the internal cameras of the venue and after hearing public officials and municipal administrators. There are numerous aspects to clarify, starting with the management of that evening, the issue of employee training, which did not happen, the directives given that night, why the safety doors were closed, why there was only one entrance for people to enter and exit. And then the economic issues linked to anti-money laundering profiles.

Unanswered questions

The investigation centers on potential safety failures. Key questions include whether staff received adequate fire safety training, who locked several emergency exits, and why those exits remained sealed as victims tried to flee. Investigators are also examining the purchase of acoustic foam that caught fire after sparks from Bengal lights ignited it in the basement ceiling. The municipality of Crans-Montana acknowledged shortly after the tragedy that no fire or safety inspections had been conducted at the bar since 2019.

They sleep together, they live together, they eat together, they have lunch together... They have had five months to get their stories straight. So today, during this confrontation, they would need to be in sync with their statements where they claim they owe the truth to the victims.

A delayed process

The hearing was originally scheduled for April 7, when Jacques Moretti alone was summoned. That session was postponed after his lawyers submitted medical certificates. Prosecutors later decided to summon both spouses for a joint confrontation. Several lawyers expressed frustration at the delay, noting the risk of collusion between the couple. Sébastien Fanti, who represents numerous victims' families, stated that a hearing like Friday's costs taxpayers 200,000 Swiss francs and urged that evidentiary elements be gathered to move the case forward.

Our expectation remains the same: to obtain answers, to know the truth and all the responsibilities, so that this can never happen again. This confrontation is the last opportunity offered to the Moretti couple to tell the truth, the whole truth. The victims need it, for mourning as well as their reconstruction.

The investigation's scope

Fourteen people are now under criminal investigation for negligent homicide, negligent bodily injury, and negligent arson. Beyond the Morettis, the accused include five current or former municipal elected officials and seven current or former municipal employees. Jacques Moretti was placed in pre-trial detention on January 9 and released on January 23 after posting bail of 200,000 Swiss francs (approximately 220,000 euros). Both owners remain subject to restrictive measures. The fire primarily claimed the lives of teenagers and young adults, including many foreigners, particularly Italians and French nationals.