Nightclub owners Jacques and Jessica Moretti face potential manslaughter charges after a devastating fire ripped through their Le Constellation venue in the Swiss Alps during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The blaze erupted around 1:30 AM on January 1st when champagne sparklers ignited foam ceiling material in the packed basement club. At least 40 people died and 119 others suffered injuries, many with severe third-degree burns.
Jacques Moretti broke his silence Thursday, telling Swiss media, “We can neither sleep nor eat, we are all very unwell.” The French couple defended their venue’s safety record, claiming three inspections over the past decade found no violations.
“Everything had been done according to regulation,” Moretti insisted while investigators examined whether the club’s single narrow staircase exit and flammable materials contributed to the tragedy.
Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general for the Valais region, confirmed authorities are considering negligent homicide charges. “We assume that the fire originated from sparklers attached to champagne bottles,” she said during a press conference.
Video footage shows the moment disaster struck. A waitress danced on a colleague’s shoulders while waving a lit sparkler beneath foam soundproofing panels. Within seconds, flames consumed the wooden-paneled ceiling as revelers below continued celebrating, unaware of the danger building overhead.
The basement club’s design created a death trap. Panicked guests rushed toward the single exit staircase, creating a deadly crush as fire spread rapidly through the confined space.
Among the missing is Charlotte Niddam, a 15-year-old British-educated teenager who previously attended Immanuel College in Hertfordshire. Her former school issued a statement asking for prayers during “this extremely difficult time.”
The Morettis opened Le Constellation in 2015 after falling in love with the Alpine resort during a 2011 vacation. The venue became popular with international visitors, allowing entry to guests 16 and older rather than the typical 18-year age limit.
Jessica Moretti was inside the club when flames erupted and suffered arm burns while her husband worked at another restaurant they own. The couple deleted their social media accounts as rescue workers pulled victims from the wreckage.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin called the incident “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced” for cutting short so many young lives.
Investigators are examining whether sparklers should have been permitted in the venue and if the foam ceiling material met safety regulations. A team of 30 officials continues to work to identify victims using DNA and dental records.
The injured include 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French citizens and 11 Italians, with many requiring lengthy treatment and rehabilitation. International transfers are planned to move patients to specialized burn units across Europe.
Source: Swiss inferno nightclub owners say they can’t ‘sleep nor eat’ and defend the safety of ‘deathtrap’ ski bar – as investigators consider manslaughter charges over the disaster.