Service Door Inside Bar Where 40 Died in Fire Was Locked from Inside, Owner Claims

The owner of the Swiss bar where 40 people died in a devastating New Year’s Eve fire says a basement service door was locked from the inside as the tragedy unfolded.

In the early hours of Jan. 1, a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, killing 40 people and injuring more than 100 others.

After an investigation, owner Jacques Moretti was arrested on Jan. 9. He and his wife, Jessica — who was released as her husband was taken into custody — were charged with negligent manslaughter, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence, according to The Guardian and CBS News.

The day after his arrest, Jacques allegedly told the Valais public prosecutor’s office that he only learned about the locked door after the fire, The Guardian reported.

Investigators say Jacques told them he opened the basement service door himself and found multiple lifeless bodies behind it, Swiss broadcaster RTS reported, according to Euro News. He reportedly said he did not know why the door had been locked.

Authorities have not yet confirmed an official cause of the blaze. However, investigators say early findings suggest sparkler candles may have ignited soundproofing foam on the ceiling, The Guardian reported.

Jacques reportedly disputed that scenario, telling investigators he had conducted his own tests to check whether sparklers used at the venue could ignite the foam. He allegedly claimed the sparklers were not powerful enough to burn it.

After a hearing on Friday, Jan. 9, Jessica expressed remorse in a statement to reporters.

“My thoughts are constantly with the victims,” she said, according to 24 Heures. “It’s an unimaginable tragedy; it happened in our institution, and I want to apologize.”

The Morettis have also said they intend to fully cooperate with investigators, according to CBS.

Local officials have acknowledged failures in safety oversight. Speaking at a news conference earlier this month, Crans-Montana municipal leader Nicolas Féraud said periodic fire-safety checks at the bar were not carried out between 2020 and 2025.

“We regret this bitterly,” Féraud told reporters. “We owe it to the families, and we will accept responsibility.”

One survivor, 17-year-old Laetitia Place, described the chaotic escape in an interview with Reuters, saying she witnessed “horrible things that no one should ever have to see.”

“There’s the small door where everyone was pushing, and so we all fell, we were piled on top of each other, some people were burning, and some were dead next to us,” she said. “I was so scared — scared for myself, scared for my friends, scared for everyone inside.”