News · 9 January 2026
Swiss ski bar owner detained after deadly fire
Johnw via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
Swiss authorities detained Jacques Moretti, co-owner of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, where 40 people died in a New Year's Eve fire. Prosecutors cited flight risk as the reason for his custody order, while his wife Jessica remains free under judicial supervision. The French couple faces charges including manslaughter by negligence and arson by negligence. The fire killed mostly teenagers and injured 116 people when sparklers on champagne bottles ignited ceiling insulation. Switzerland observed a national day of mourning with a minute's silence.
Reported by CBS News · How we write briefs