Bar owner apologises to Crans-Montana fire victims

Jessica Moretti, seen here arriving at a hearing in Sion on Friday, remains free while her husband and co-owner of Le Constellation was remanded in custody. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

"My thoughts are constantly with the victims," Jessica Moretti, one of the owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, told Swiss public television RTS on Friday.

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“It is an unimaginable tragedy,” Moretti saidExternal link after she and her co-owner husband, Jacques, were questioned in the town of Sion, canton Valais on Friday over the New Year’s Day fire that claimed 40 lives and injured 116 people. “It happened in our establishment, and I want to apologise.”

Jacques Moretti was remanded into custody following the hearing. Jessica Moretti, meanwhile, was released, surrounded by her Geneva-based lawyers.

The manager of Le Constellation, who appeared emotional in the RTS footage, said after her hearing: “I want to apologise to all the victims and those who are still fighting [for their lives] today.”

Translated from French with AI/gw

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