Shocking new accounts are emerging about the deadly New Year's Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Switzerland as workers and customers say an emergency exit in the basement was "always closed".
Swiss authorities are investigating the owners for manslaughter, bodily harm and arson. The fire broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. in the bar's basement when fireworks placed in champagne bottles ignited the ceiling, which was covered in insulating foam.
Shocking videos show customers, many of whom were teenagers, continuing to party for a few crucial seconds as the fire spread above their heads. This period of time proved fatal, as precious moments that could have allowed for a timely escape were lost.
As panic spread, dozens of people tried to escape via a narrow internal staircase leading to the ground floor, leading to the bar later being described as a “death trap”. Authorities are now investigating whether the venue had exceeded its capacity or not.
Complaints about blocked emergency exits
Of particular note are complaints about the existence of an additional emergency exit in the basement, which witnesses say was inaccessible. Andrea, 31, a barmaid who works at another shop in Crans-Montana but who frequented Le Constellation, said there was both a regular entrance and exit and a separate emergency exit, which, she said, was always blocked.
As she described it, this exit was located in a special smoking area, which was essentially used as a storage room. A sofa was placed in front of the door, while objects were thrown right outside it, making it practically non-functional. “Everyone in the city knew that sooner or later something would go wrong,” she said.
Grigory, who was going to the bar when the fire broke out and whose friend is among the missing, gave similar testimony. He said there was a second exit, but he believes it was blocked because some customers left without paying.
At the same time, a third exit was found on the ground floor of the bar, which led to a covered shopping corridor with shops, including a rental shop. However, those using it would have had to go through a second glass door to get to the street. Authorities have not yet clarified whether these doors were open or closed at the time of the fire.
Meanwhile, Swiss authorities announced that Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40, the owners of the bar, are being formally investigated for involuntary manslaughter, causing bodily harm and arson. Moretti appeared in public for the first time since the tragedy near a restaurant he owns in the nearby village of Lens, but declined to answer questions.
Police have so far identified eight Swiss dead, four men and four women, including two 16-year-olds. However, more than 30 families are still living a nightmare of waiting as the process of identifying the remaining victims continues, as well as five seriously injured people who are in hospital.
Psychologist Elvira Venturella, who is supporting the families, described the wait as “devastating for people’s mental stability”, while parents of the missing children speak of anger and despair. Among the missing is 15-year-old Charlotte Needham, a schoolgirl in London, with her friends making a public appeal for information.
Authorities say identifying the victims is an absolute priority, but acknowledge the "unbearable burden" the families bear. The investigation is ongoing, with the issue of blocked emergency exits playing a central role in the events.
