Bar Owner Arrested as Switzerland Mourns Victims of Crans-Montana Fire

One of the owners of a Swiss bar where a deadly fire killed 40 people during a New Year’s Eve party has been arrested, as Switzerland observed a national day of mourning for the victims.

Jacques Moretti, co-owner of the Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, was detained on Friday in the nearby city of Sion over concerns he might flee the country, according to local media. Swiss prosecutors are investigating the bar’s French owners on suspicion of homicide by negligence, while families of the victims have filed legal complaints.

The fire, which broke out during celebrations in the bar’s basement, injured at least 116 people, many seriously. More than half of those killed were teenagers. Investigators believe the blaze was sparked by sparklers attached to champagne bottles, which ignited foam soundproofing on the ceiling.

Tributes were held across the country, including a ceremony in Martigny attended by Swiss leaders, foreign dignitaries and victims’ families, where a minute’s silence was observed. Swiss President Guy Parmelin said those responsible for the tragedy must be held to account «without delay or leniency.»

The disaster has raised serious questions about safety oversight at the venue, which local authorities admitted had missed several required inspections.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that a new biopic chronicling the life of former world boxing champion Prince Naseem Hamed is released in UK cinemas today