Victim’s relative shouts ‘you killed my brother’ at Swiss fire nightclub owners

The owners of the Swiss bar in which 41 people died in a New Year’s fire were called ‘murderers’ and ‘monsters’ by the families of victims today.

Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica Moretti, 40, are both facing prison time after the inferno during a New Year’s party at the Constellation in the ski resort of Crans-Montana.

Both are currently free on bail, and when they turned up at a court appearance in the town of Sion today, they were set upon by a waiting crowd.

One person shouted, ‘You killed my son. You killed my brother. Where is my son? You are monsters. How can you eat and sleep?’

Jacques Moretti, who has already spent time in prison in both Switzerland and France, shouted back: ‘If we have to pay, we will pay. We’re not a mafia, we’re workers.’

He struggled to escape the crowd with his ashen-faced wife, who was in tears and visibly frightened.

The French nationals have been questioned by prosecutors since the fire, which they blame on their own workers.

In particular, they have pointed to waitress Cyane Panine, 24, getting on the shoulders of a colleague while brandishing two champagne bottles with lit sparklers attached.

Cyane, who died in the fire, was wearing a promotional crash helmet and did not see the pyrotechnics lighting up the bar’s basement ceiling, which was covered in highly inflammable foam.

Referring to the champagne sparklers stunt – which was filmed by clubgoers- Jacques Moretti told the enquiry that it was ‘Cyane’s show’.

‘I didn’t forbid her from doing that,’ he told prosecutors. ‘I didn’t make her pay attention to safety instructions.

‘We didn’t see the danger. Cyane liked doing that – it was a show, she liked to be part of the show.’

The family of Cyane, also a French national, are among those who have vehemently denied the Moretti’s claims, and they are supported by witnesses who survived the blaze.

They say it was Jessica Moretti, the manager on the night, who sent Cyane out with the bottles and encouraged her to perform the stunt using a helmet provided by Dom Perignon, the champagne house.

Both Morettis also blamed a staff member for locking an escape door in the basement. Cyane Panine was among those who were found dying from smoke inhalation behind the door, after it was finally forced open.

Video is said to exist showing Jessica Moretti escaping from the New Year’s fire with the cash register under her arm, while ignoring victims.

Denying the claim, Jessica told the enquiry: ‘I accept what’s being said about us, even if it’s false. It’s nothing compared to what the families are going through. We worked hard and tirelessly. We always did what was asked of us.’

When questioned about the extremely young age of those admitted to the bar on New Year’s Eve – one boy who died was just 14 – she said: ‘We’re not infallible. I’ve thought about it a lot. Maybe there were fake IDs.

‘Perhaps some slipped through the security guard’s net. Perhaps some entered during the fire when the security guard was occupied elsewhere.’

Both Morettis face trial for ‘manslaughter by negligence, causing injury by negligence, and causing arson by negligence’ in relation to the 41 deaths, and the severe burning of 115 others.

The Morettis, who are originally from the Mediterranean island of Corsica, deny any criminal or civil wrongdoing in relation to the fire.

Both are considered a flight risk by the Swiss authorities, but have been allowed to stay at home to look after their two children.

They have to wear electronic tags, have had their passports confiscated, and have to report to a police station every three days. The investigation into the fire continues.

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