The owner of the Swiss nightclub where 40 New Year revellers died in a tragic inferno has claimed the bar met ‘the standards’, despite the deadly blaze reportedly taking hold in seconds
The owner of the Swiss nightclub where 40 young people died in a tragic New Year blaze has spoken out for the first time. He has claimed his party hotspot met “the standards” after he refurbished it, turning a rundown cafe into a swanky nightclub.
Over 200 revellers were celebrating at Le Constellation in the ski resort of Crans-Montana when an explosive inferno left 40 dead and hundreds with third degree burns as vapours released by the fire fuelled a whirlwind “flashover” blaze.
Jacques Moretti, 49, the owner, spoke briefly with Swiss media 24heures to say, “Everything was done according to the standards”.
Moretti, who is a French national from Corsica, declined to give a long interview, saying he was “not well” following the tragedy. He was reportedly not at the venue on the night although his wife, Jessica, 40, suffered burns to her arm in the fire, according to The Sun.
The couple bought the venue in 2015 and turned it from a rundown café into a popular nightlife destination. Since they took over the venue, it had been inspected three times in 10 years, Moretti said.
Moretti reportedly did much of the refurbishment himself, taking six months to transform the space. Swiss media has reported that guests had complained on ratings platforms about poor treatment of staff, a lack of professionalism, and inadequate security.
The couple have been interviewed by police while experts scour the charred shell of Le Constellation to begin the horrific task of identifying victims. Attorney general Beatrice Pilloud said a preliminary probe would examine the cause of the fire.
She declined to rule out a criminal investigation. Pilloud said during a press conference: “Several people have been interviewed and observations have been made on the premises,.
”We will also focus on the number of people who were present at the party, the number of people that the bar is authorised to host, the exit routes and the access routes into the premises.” The authorities will then determine whether any individuals bear “criminal liability” for the tragedy, she said.
Partygoers as young as 14 were ringing in 2026 and were seen cheering and dancing with sparklers in champagne bottles. Sound-proof cladding then caught alight and engulfed the venue in flames shortly after midnight.
Valais’ Minister of Security, Stéphane Ganzer, confirmed the municipality was responsible for checking buildings annually. A witness identified only as Emma told BFM: “Some of the bottles were near the ceiling, and it caught fire.
“The whole ceiling was in flames and the fire spread really fast. It happened in seconds.
“We ran outside, screaming and crying.” A local police spokesperson confirmed that “dozens of pyrotechnic devices in bottles” lined tables in the basement of the bar.
As the fire took hold, partygoers struggled to escape through the narrow exit staircase. Student Ferdinand Du Beaudiez, 19, was partying with seven pals, including his brother and girlfriend.
After escaping the blaze by ran back into the bar to find his friends and brother. He told The Sun: “I went back inside and I found someone lying on the stairs.
“They were completely burned.” The body, he said, was charred beyond recognition. “I couldn’t recognise whether it was a woman or a man.
“I could only see teeth.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.