A horrific blaze at Le Constellation bar in the Swiss Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana on New Year's Day resulted in a devastating loss of life, killing at least 40 people and injuring 119 others. The bar, which was reportedly crammed with young revelers, became the scene of a criminal investigation launched by Swiss authorities into its French managers, Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40.

The fire, which broke out around 1:30 AM local time (12:30 AM GMT) on January 1st, is believed by investigators to have been caused by fountain sparklers mounted on champagne bottles. These sparklers were allegedly held too close to the ceiling, igniting foam soundproofing panels. Witnesses described a terrifying flashover, where extreme heat caused combustible gases to ignite violently, leaving people little chance to escape. The ensuing panic led to a crowd surge as patrons tried to flee the basement nightclub area through a flight of stairs and a narrow door.

Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who opened Le Constellation bar in 2015, have been placed under criminal investigation on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson. While the presumption of innocence applies until a final conviction, the severity of the incident has drawn significant attention. Mr. Moretti was seen for the first time since the blaze but declined to comment to the press when approached, simply stating 'non' when asked if he had anything to say to the families of the victims.

The tragedy claimed many young lives, with police stating that many of the injured were in their teens to mid-20s. Initial victim identifications include Emanuele Galeppini, a 17-year-old Italian golfer, and Chiara Costanzo, a 16-year-old from Milan. Swiss officials also identified two Swiss women, aged 16 and 21, and two Swiss men, aged 16 and 18, whose bodies have been returned to their families. British-educated teenager Charlotte Niddam and the bar's 31-year-old security guard, Stefan Ivanovic, are also among those reported missing. The injured include 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French, 11 Italians, and citizens from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. Six Italians and eight French individuals remain missing, with 13 Italians and nine French among the hospitalized.

Swiss authorities are conducting a thorough review of the bar's safety measures. Investigations will focus on whether the sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations, if candles were permitted for use, and the adequacy of fire extinguishers and escape routes. Stéphane Ganzer, the Valais region's top security official, stated that a fire of this magnitude in Switzerland indicates a failure, suggesting 'something didn’t work and someone made a mistake.' However, Nicolas Féraud, who heads the Crans-Montana municipality, expressed conviction that checks on the bar had not been lax. The Valais region’s senior prosecutor has warned of potential prosecutions if criminal liability is established.