Tragedy Strikes Crans-Montana: Memorial Honors Victims of Ski Bar Fire

Sun Jan 11 2026 01:58:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A memorial service in Crans-Montana marks the tragic loss of 40 lives in a New Year's Eve fire, raising questions about safety and accountability.

Crans-Montana observed a national day of mourning for the victims of a devastating fire at the Le Constellation ski bar that claimed 40 lives on New Year's Eve. The memorial brought together survivors, family members, and national dignitaries who expressed their grief and anger at the circumstances leading to the tragedy. As attention turns to the owners' potential negligence and unanswered questions about safety protocols in local establishments, the community seeks justice and accountability for the tragedy.

Tragedy brought people together in Crans-Montana and brought the country to a standstill. On Friday, just down the road from the bar where 40 young people were killed by fire on New Year's Eve, church bells rang in their memory. They tolled right across Switzerland, to mark a national day of mourning.

Then, moments after the last notes of a special memorial service had faded, came the news that one of the bar's owners had been detained. Swiss prosecutors said Jacques Moretti, a French national, was a potential flight risk. He and his wife Jessica, who is also French, are suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence. Many of the victims' families had demanded action like this from the start: more than a week after the fire, the anger in this community has been increasing.

At the main ceremony in Martigny, down in the valley, relatives of the dead were joined by survivors. Some had come from the hospital for the memorial. People held white roses in their laps and gripped each other's hands for support. The images we faced were unbearable. A scene worse than a nightmare. Screams ringing out in the icy cold, the smell of burning. It was apocalyptic, a young woman called Marie told the audience. She had been in a bar opposite Le Constellation when the fire broke out and suddenly found herself helping the injured as they ran from the flames.

Listening in the front row were the presidents of France and Italy, whose citizens were among those killed and injured in the fire. Both countries have opened their own investigations. Back in Rome, Italy's prime minister vowed to make sure all those responsible were identified. This was no accident. It was the result of too many people who did not do their jobs, Giorgia Meloni said.

For now, the only two formal suspects are the co-owners of Le Constellation, Jacques and Jessica Moretti. They are being investigated for causing death and injury through negligence but have not been charged. Now Jacques Moretti has been remanded in custody. It was her first public comment since the fire, expressing her condolences while calling the incident an unimaginable tragedy.

Mobile phone footage shows a sparkler tied to a champagne bottle apparently starting the fire as it brushes the ceiling. Covered with soundproofing foam that was never safety tested, it ignites quickly. When the crowd eventually rush for the exit in panic, there is a crush on the stairs. The local authorities in Crans made the shocking admission that they hadn't carried out mandatory safety checks of the bar for five years.

In central Crans, the heap of tributes for the dead is still growing. After leaving their own fresh flowers, many people stood in front of the ruins of the bar itself to remember in silence. The community of Crans-Montana is left searching for answers amidst their grief.