The owner of a bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, where a fire on New Year's Eve claimed the lives of 40 people, admitted during questioning that the service door to the basement where the party was held was locked, RTS reports.
„According to our information, Jacques Moretti, manager of the „Sazvezdie“ bar, admitted to investigators that the service door to the basement of the establishment was locked from the inside“, the media report.
During questioning, he claimed that he himself opened the door from the outside and discovered „a pile of lifeless bodies“ in front of her.
According to the media, this fact is crucial to the investigation. “If prosecutors establish that the suspects knew the door was locked, that it was extremely dangerous and that they took the risk, judges could charge them with “premeditated murder“. In that case, Jacques and Jessica Moretti could face up to 20 years in prison,“ the article said.
Moretti also confirmed that he himself had lined the ceiling with soundproofing foam.
On Friday, the Valais prosecutor's office announced that Jacques Moretti had been detained pending an investigation into the cause of the fire. Investigators believe he is in danger of fleeing the country.
On New Year's Eve, at around 1:30 a.m., a fire broke out in a bar in the popular Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana. According to Valais police, 40 people died. Most of the victims were young people aged between 14 and 24. Another 116 were injured, most of them seriously due to extensive burns.
According to investigators, the fire was caused by fireworks that ignited the ceiling.
Following the fire, Swiss authorities have opened an investigation into the bar's owners for negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson. If found guilty, they face three to four and a half years in prison.
Previously, media reported that Moretti was convicted of pimping in France in 2008 and was sentenced to prison and banned from doing business in the country.