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Valais to Pay CHF 10,000 per Victim as Video Raises Exit Concerns in Crans-Montana Fire

The criminal case targets suspected negligence from pyrotechnics-related ignition to failed fire safety.

Overview

  • The canton said 156 people from 19 countries will be contacted directly for the one-off payment, and it set up a channel to route donations to those affected.
  • Valais also prohibited pyrotechnic devices in publicly accessible indoor spaces, echoing a local ban in Crans-Montana after the New Year’s blaze that killed 40 and injured 116.
  • Prosecutors are investigating negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent causing of a fire; co-owner Jacques Moretti is in custody and his wife faces travel and reporting restrictions.
  • A surveillance clip published by Italy’s Tg3 appears to show a small piece of furniture in front of an emergency exit, though authorities have not verified the footage; a separate service door was found locked from the inside, according to statements cited by RTS.
  • Background reports indicate party fountains were used in service for about a decade, formal fire-safety checks reportedly lapsed after 2019, and the owner told investigators he replaced ceiling foam years ago with hardware-store material; a victims’ lawyer launched an online platform to collect evidence.