Crans Montana massacre: Investigation underway for manslaughter and negligent assault

An investigation into manslaughter and bodily harm has been opened following the fire that devastated "Le Constellation," a nightclub in Crans-Montana, on New Year's Eve, killing 40 people and injuring 119 (113 already identified), in what is being described as one of the worst recent disasters in Switzerland. The announcement was made at a press conference by Valais Attorney General Béatrice Pilloud.

According to initial reports, "everything suggests" that the fire started from flares or spark plugs placed on bottles and held "too close to the ceiling." Magistrates and police are conducting thorough investigations to determine whether safety measures were adequate: evacuation routes, materials used, fire-fighting equipment, and security procedures within the premises are being examined.

As part of the investigation, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the pub's managers, were also interviewed. Authorities want to quickly establish any responsibilities and reconstruct the sequence of events that transformed a festive evening into a massacre.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also arrived on the scene. After visiting the family and meeting with cantonal authorities in Sion, he declared that "something clearly went wrong." "It seems senseless to me to set off fireworks indoors, with young people climbing on other people's shoulders, unsupervised," he added, emphasizing the prosecutor's "determination" in determining responsibility.

Meanwhile, at the Conference Center—which has become a hub for family and friends—a mixture of anguish and hope reigns. Psychologists, consular staff, Civil Protection, and law enforcement are assisting those awaiting news. "Their immense dignity is striking: they are the ones thanking us. They want to talk, sometimes just to vent," Massimiliano Borzetti, head of the mission's team of psychologists, told AGI.

Regarding the Italians, six are reported missing and thirteen injured, but the situation remains provisional. Tajani indicated a glimmer of hope: "There are three injured who have not yet been identified; we hope they are Italian." Identification procedures are ongoing, including DNA tests on the most compromised bodies, a step that could extend the wait.

Outside the care center, groups of teenagers and young people await confirmation of their missing peers. Among the victims may be 17-year-old Emanuele Galeppini, described by the golf federation as a talented individual "with passion and authentic values," while his family is urging caution while awaiting formal identification.

In the city, mourning coexists with the normality of the ski season. Flowers and messages abound in front of the destroyed ski resort, while just a few hundred meters away, the "holiday" days continue: crowded slopes, full bars, illuminated shop windows. The Swiss bishops have announced the ringing of mourning bells as a sign of their sympathy for the community's grief.

Meanwhile, the owners have broken their silence. Jacques Moretti told the Swiss German-language news portal "20 Minuten" that he and his wife—who was injured in the fire—"can no longer eat or sleep" and that they are both cooperating with the authorities. Prosecutor Pilloud told the same newspaper that the couple, both French, were interviewed "as witnesses" and that at this time "there is no criminal investigation against them." Moretti also reiterated that the restaurant had been "inspected three times" in the last ten years and that "everything was done according to regulations."