A SWISS bar where 40 people died in a New Year’s Eve inferno had not undergone an annual safety inspection for five years, officials have admitted.
Le Constellation in Crans-Montana had not been checked, audited or inspected between 2020 and 2025 despite being packed with revellers on the night it erupted into flames, killing dozens and injuring 116 more.
Local president Nicolas Féraud confirmed the failure, saying: “No inspections of the Constellation bar were carried out between 2020 and 2025. We bitterly regret this.”
He added the municipality would accept blame for the lapse, insisting: “There’s no question of shirking our responsibilities,” while stressing that accountability now rests with the courts: “We trust in the justice system.”
Officials also confirmed there was no fire alarm in the bar because it was “not a requirement in such establishments”, while admitting that the acoustic soundproofing foam lining the ceiling had never been fire tested.
When asked why the venue had not been inspected for half a decade, Mr Féraud said: “I have no answer for you today.”
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It comes as the French owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana have reportedly been banned from operating a second venue amid a widening criminal probe into the fire.
According to Swiss broadcaster RTS, the local council has revoked the operating licence for the couple’s other business, La Petite Maison, ordering its immediate closure “in light of the circumstances and in order to ensure public safety”. The decision can still be appealed.
Disturbing details have since surfaced about bar manager Jacques Moretti’s criminal past, including a previous conviction for recruiting prostitutes to a Geneva massage parlour.
Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica, 40, are under criminal investigation over the blaze, which killed dozens – many of them teenagers – and left several others with catastrophic burns.
Prosecutors are investigating alleged manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm and arson.
Investigators have branded the venue a “deathtrap” after finding the fire allegedly started when sparklers stuffed into champagne bottles were waved close to the ceiling, igniting flammable soundproofing material.
Swiss attorney general Béatrice Pilloud said: “Everything suggests that the fire started with incandescent candles placed in champagne bottles, which were brought too close to the ceiling, causing a rapid and widespread conflagration.”
The blaze reportedly developed into a deadly flashover within seconds, filling the basement with toxic smoke and flames and leaving partygoers little chance to escape.
Moretti denies any wrongdoing and has claimed the club “followed all safety regulations”, despite reportedly being inspected only three times in a decade, even though local fire codes require annual checks.
He was not at the bar when the fire broke out.
His past, however, has drawn renewed scrutiny.
Moretti was jailed in 2008 after being convicted by a French court for offences linked to the so-called “Hot Rabbit” case, in which French nationals recruited young women to work as sex workers in a Swiss massage parlour.
He received a one-year sentence, with eight months suspended.
French media have also reported that he previously served time for fraud, kidnapping and false imprisonment, and has a criminal record stretching back decades.
A former waitress at Le Constellation, identified only as Sarah, alleged that the owner encouraged staff to exploit their sexuality.
She told BFM: “I stopped working with the Morettis because [the bar] was clearly a mess. The owner asked us to wear revealing clothes to encourage spending, but I refused because that wasn’t in line with my values.”
Moretti and his wife were questioned by Swiss prosecutors last week and remain at liberty while assisting the investigation.
As the legal fallout grows, the full human toll of the disaster has become clear.
Among the dead was hero teenage boxer Benjamin Johnson, 18, who died trying to save a friend.
He was the son of British expat Matthew Johnson, originally from Bradford, who moved to Switzerland to work in tourism.
The Swiss Boxing Federation paid tribute, saying: “Benjamin left us as a hero, helping his friend.”
Its president added that his final act “perfectly reflects who he was: someone who always helped others”.
Forty victims from seven countries were killed, including 26 aged between 14 and 18.
Several were burned beyond recognition and identified only through DNA analysis.
Swiss police confirmed all 116 injured have also been identified.
Sixty-eight are Swiss nationals, alongside citizens from France, Italy, Serbia, Poland and a further 10 countries.
Meanwhile, 83 remain in hospital, some still fighting for their lives.
Authorities said the youngest victim was just 14.
The tragedy has prompted scenes of mourning across the resort.
Dozens of skiers formed a heart-shaped tribute on the slopes of Crans-Montana, while coffins of Italian victims were flown home in a solemn ceremony guarded by firefighters and soldiers.
Former staff have also alleged serious safety failings at the club, claiming fire extinguishers were kept locked away and emergency exits were often closed.
Swiss prosecutors say the criminal investigation into the bar’s managers is ongoing as families across Europe mourn one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent history.