Jacques Moretti, co-owner of Swiss bar arrested over New Year’s fire that killed 40

His wife Jessica, the other co-owner of the bar, was allowed to remain free under judicial supervision, Pilloud’s office said.

Charges against Morettis

Prosecutors are investigating the French owners on suspicion of crimes including homicide by negligence, while victims’ families have filed legal complaints over the fire at the “Le Constellation” bar in ‍the Canton of Valais.

The couple face charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence.

40 dead in New Year fire

The Morettis, who co-own Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, were interviewed by prosecutors in Switzerland’s southwestern Wallis canton as the country held a national day of mourning for the 40 people killed in last week’s disaster. The average age of those killed was 19.

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 the dead.

What Morettis said

Early on Friday, Jacques and Jessica Moretti entered the prosecutors’ office in the town ​of Sion for a hearing. Hours later, video footage from Swiss broadcaster RTS ‌showed Jessica Moretti leaving without her husband.

“My thoughts are constantly with the victims of this unimaginable tragedy that took place in our establishment, and I would like to apologise to all the victims and those ​who are still struggling today,” she said. The couple has said they would cooperate fully with the investigation.