Fire
The investigation into the catastrophic New Year’s Day fire at a Swiss ski resort has significantly expanded. Swiss prosecutors in the Valais canton have officially added the mayor of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Feraud, along with four other current and former local officials, to the growing list of suspects facing potential criminal charges for the blaze that claimed 41 lives—the majority of which were teenagers, with the youngest among them being only 14 years old.
According to legal documents, Mayor Feraud is now listed as a defendant and has been summoned for questioning on April 13, Reuters reports. While Feraud did not immediately comment on the recent summons, he publicly acknowledged in January that the municipality had failed to conduct multiple mandatory annual safety inspections at the establishment. At the time, he stated they had “no indication that the checks had not been done as requested.” He later admitted that the municipality had not carried out the annually prescribed fire inspection at the bar “Le Constellation” since 2019.
The January 1 fire at the “Le Constellation” bar stands as one of the deadliest modern disasters in Switzerland. The victims were predominantly teenagers, and the casualty list included six Italian nationals, a detail that has strained diplomatic relations between the neighboring countries. Many survivors remain hospitalized with severe burn injuries.
The ongoing probe initially centered on the French owners of the bar, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who have expressed their grief and pledged full cooperation with authorities. With the addition of the mayor and other local officials, the case now involves nine total defendants. The investigation is examining potential charges of negligent homicide, and if convicted, the defendants could face a maximum sentence of four and a half years in prison.
The tragic event has cast a heavy shadow over Crans-Montana, an upscale resort town heavily reliant on international tourism for its golf courses and sunny, south-facing ski slopes.
