The Swiss bar that was the scene of a fire that killed 40 people and injured 116 hadn’t undergone safety checks for five years, authorities have said
The mayor of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Feraud, told a Tuesday press conference that he could not explain why Le Constellation bar hadn’t been checked in so long, but that the council was “profoundly sorry”.
“We regret that – we owe it to the families and we will accept the responsibility,” he said.
He added that sparklers – which are believed to have caused the fire when they were raised too close to the ceiling – will be banned in local venues.
Local authorities will now bring in an external contractor to inspect and audit all 128 venues in the area.
At the news conference, Feraud conceded there was a team of five people inspecting more than 10,000 buildings in Crans-Montana and could not explain why the bar had not been inspected since 2019.
Taking repeated questions on why the bar had not been checked in so long, Feraud said: “I have no answer for you today.”
“We’re profoundly sorry about that and I know how hard that will be for the families.”
“I’m not resigning, no, and I don’t want to,” he later added.
Feraud said it would be “down to the judges” to decide whether members of the local authority would be included in a criminal investigation that has been opened by Swiss prosecutors.
AFP via Getty Images Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud looks downward as he sits with colleagues at a press conference. He has glasses on and is wearing a dark suit.AFP via Getty Images
Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud announced that all kinds of sparklers would be banned from being used in local venues
When the fire occurred on New Year’s Day, the bar seemed to have many more people in it than legally permitted, which Feraud said was the responsibility of the managers of Le Constellation to regulate.
Swiss prosecutors have placed the two bar managers under criminal investigation, which local media have named as French couple, Jacques and Jessica Moretti.
They are both suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, the prosecutors’ office in Valais said.
Feraud said the use of sound-proofing material on the ceiling of the bar and allowing sparklers in the venue was extremely negligent. But he also suggested the local authorities hadn’t viewed the materials used as risky.
Questioned on why authorities had not acted on pictures of sparklers close to the bar’s ceiling that were widely available on social media and used as promotion for Le Constellation before the fire, Feraud said it was likely no-one in the council saw the images.
Safety regulations are determined by cantons in Switzerland’s devolved political system. But they must then must be implemented by the local authorities.
Many local councillors are elected to work on a part-time basis. The Swiss are generally proud of this system as they believe it makes the authorities much more accountable to voters.
But the new year’s fire raises questions about the system, with warnings signs appearing not to have been followed up.When the fire occurred on New Year’s Day, the bar seemed to have many more people in it than legally permitted, which Feraud said was the responsibility of the managers of Le Constellation to regulate.
Swiss prosecutors have placed the two bar managers under criminal investigation, which local media have named as French couple, Jacques and Jessica Moretti.
They are both suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, the prosecutors’ office in Valais said.
Feraud said the use of sound-proofing material on the ceiling of the bar and allowing sparklers in the venue was extremely negligent. But he also suggested the local authorities hadn’t viewed the materials used as risky.
Questioned on why authorities had not acted on pictures of sparklers close to the bar’s ceiling that were widely available on social media and used as promotion for Le Constellation before the fire, Feraud said it was likely no-one in the council saw the images.
Safety regulations are determined by cantons in Switzerland’s devolved political system. But they must then must be implemented by the local authorities.
Many local councillors are elected to work on a part-time basis. The Swiss are generally proud of this system as they believe it makes the authorities much more accountable to voters.
But the new year’s fire raises questions about the system, with warnings signs appearing not to have been followed up.
