A fire broke out in a Swiss bar on New Year’s Eve, killing 41 people, with one relative shouting “You killed my brother” when the bar owner came for questioning.
Jacques Moretti and Jessica Moretti, the French owners of the Crans-Montana Alpine ski resort Le Constellation, met grieving relatives outside the prosecutor’s office in Sion, canton Valais, on Thursday.
As the pair walked toward the building, chants of “look me in the eyes” and “don’t forgive, don’t forget” rang out.
An angry man who lost his brother in a fire shouted: “You killed my brother, you deserve to die. No, look me in the eyes. You killed my brother, look at me. Stop pretending.”
His mother added: “You killed my son. Where is my son? You are all monsters. How can you eat and sleep?”
The fire is believed to have started when fountain fireworks struck flammable soundproofing foam on the ceiling.
A fire broke out in the crowded nightclub in the early hours of January 1, and the Morettis were criminally investigated for manslaughter, negligent bodily injury and negligent arson. The fire killed 41 people, 20 of whom were under the age of 18, and injured 115 people, many of them teenagers.
Grieving relatives confront the owner of a Swiss bar where a fire on New Year’s Eve killed 41 people – Maxime Schimd/AFP
Mrs. Moretti looked on, visibly moved by the cries of grieving families.
One father shouted: “My son is dead, he was burned.”
The victim’s parents organized the gathering, determined to confront the couple directly.
Christian Pidoux, whose 17-year-old son Trystan died in the fire, said in a statement that he helped bring together the victims’ families “because some truths cannot be conveyed through documents or decisions, only through unavoidable glances.”
Christian Pidoux loses 17-year-old son Trystan in fire – Alessandro Della Valle/EPA/2026 Shutterstock Editorial
Moretti briefly turned away from the jeering crowd and then said: “We will take responsibility. We assure you that we are here for justice.”
Thursday’s angry scenes were in stark contrast to the day before, when Moretti was questioned by lawyers for the victims’ families and met privately with Leila Micheloud, whose two daughters were burned and narrowly escaped death.
“This is a path to healing. We’re waiting for answers, for the truth, for them to tell the truth; we’re not asking for anything anymore,” she said before the hearing.
“We’re in the middle of a battle. I have to be here. When you have two kids that almost died, you’re not afraid of anything.”
Jacques Moretti said “we will take responsibility for the fire” – Maxime Schimd/AFP
Ms Michel’s lawyer, Sebastien Fanti, said the 20-minute meeting was “an extremely tense and rare moment”.
“In order to understand each other, to talk to each other, to forgive each other – we have to talk.
“There will be a day to say who is responsible for what, but there will also be a day to be about humanity and thinking about all the victims and all the people who were hurt.”
The deadly blaze is thought to have been started by fountain fireworks brushing against flammable soundproofing foam on the bar’s ceiling.
Yael Hayat, the Morettis’ lawyer, said: “For everyone involved, this moment may be a moment of respite from their mutual pain.”
Another of their lawyers, Nicola Meyer, added: “Obviously if anyone else had the same need, the Morettis would be there.”
Fabrizio Ventimiglia, an Italian lawyer representing the families of the victims, said he was seeking answers not only about the bar’s safety standards but also how many people were in the bar at the time of the fire and whether alcohol was being sold to minors. Six Italians died in the fire.
The victim’s parents organized the gathering to confront Jacques and Jessica Moretti – AFP/Maxime Schimd
Valais cantonal prosecutors said some 50 orders and arrest warrants had been issued and a dozen hearings had been held. The case file is nearly 2,000 pages, contains more than 8,500 documents, involves 263 civil parties, and is represented by 74 lawyers.
A makeshift memorial at the site also caught fire Sunday as candles burned.
Candles have since been banned and the book of condolences has been moved to a nearby church. The Swiss government announced a national “solidarity donation” to support the victims and their families.
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