The Mayor of a Swiss resort town has made a shocking admission five days after a devastating New Year's Eve fire: the bar where 40 people lost their lives had not been subjected to mandatory safety inspections for the past five years.
Mayor Expresses Profound Regret Over Lapsed Inspections
At a press conference on Tuesday, Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Féraud stated with clear regret that periodic safety inspections were not conducted at Le Constellation bar between 2020 and 2025. "We bitterly regret this," Féraud told reporters. The tragic blaze, which also injured over 100 people, occurred in the bar's basement party room.
Féraud clarified that while the municipality is committed to transparency, determining the cause of the fire is the job of official investigators. Authorities believe the disaster started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles were held too close to the ceiling, which was covered in soundproofing foam.
Systemic Failures and Staggering Victim Details
When questioned on why the annual inspections mandated by town bylaws were missed, the Mayor said he had "no answer." He revealed that a team of just five safety officers is tasked with checking over 10,000 buildings in the municipality. The bar had last been renovated in 2015.
The human cost of the disaster is immense. The 40 victims ranged in age from 14 to 39, with an average age of just 19. Twenty of those who died were minors. The nationalities of the deceased include:
- 21 Swiss nationals
- 9 French citizens (two with dual nationality)
- 6 Italians
- 1 person each from Belgium, Portugal, Romania, and Turkey
Police have identified all 116 injured individuals. Eighty-three people remain in hospital with severe burns.
Immediate Bans and Ongoing Criminal Probe
In the wake of the tragedy, the resort has banned sparklers, known as 'Bengal fountains,' in all venues. Mayor Féraud noted that the soundproof foam used in the bar had been deemed acceptable at the time of the last inspection, years ago.
A criminal investigation is underway focusing on the bar's owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who are suspected of homicide by negligence. They have not been arrested, but a second establishment they own has been closed. The municipality has joined the proceedings as a civil party.
The first foreign victims, five Italians, were repatriated on Monday. A memorial ceremony will be held in Crans-Montana on Friday, with French President Emmanuel Macron expected to attend.
Despite calls for accountability, Mayor Féraud stated that he and his fellow councillors would not resign, saying they were "elected by the people of Crans-Montana" and would not "jump ship now."
