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Crans‑Montana Bar Owners Questioned as Forgery Charge Widens Investigation

A new document‑forgery allegation against co‑owner Jessica Moretti and probes of municipal staff deepen legal scrutiny over the New Year’s Eve blaze.

Overview

  • A fire in the Le Constellation basement on New Year’s Eve killed 41 people and injured about 115, many of them young and with severe burns.
  • Jacques and Jessica Moretti were for the first time interviewed together in a formal joint confrontation in Sion to resolve contradictory earlier statements about who did what on the night.
  • Prosecutors have added a charge of document forgery against Jessica Moretti tied to a 2015 invoice for ceiling sound‑proofing foam that investigators say later ignited after party fountains were used.
  • The cantonal probe also targets about a dozen municipal employees after the municipality admitted no required annual fire inspections had been done at the bar since 2019.
  • Victims’ lawyers and families, many still caring for hospitalised or rehabilitating survivors, have launched cross‑border lawsuits to press for faster action while Swiss pre‑trial inquiries continue.