Geneva, 23 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The owner of the bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, where 40 people died in a fire at a New Year's Eve party, has been released after a court lifted his pre-trial detention order on Friday.

Jacques Moretti is out on conditional release, according to the court in Sion in the Swiss region of Valais. The conditions are intended to prevent his flight, according to the court's statement.

Moretti must deposit his identity and residence documents with the public prosecutor's office, is not allowed to leave the country, must report daily to a police station and must post bail.

The court said 200,000 Swiss francs (about $254,000) had been deposited into the public prosecutor's account, reportedly by close friends of Moretti.

Similar conditions apply to his wife, Jessica, although she was not remanded in custody.

In the bar Le Constellation, party sparklers set foam on the ceiling on fire during a New Year's Eve party, according to initial investigations. The flames spread extremely quickly.

Forty people died, including numerous minors. A total of 116 people were injured, about 80 of whom suffered very severe burns, some of which will require months or years of treatment.

According to the public prosecutor's office, the Morettis are so far the only defendants in the criminal proceedings. It is investigating negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson.

"However, the public prosecutor's office expressly reserves the right to extend the proceedings to all persons whose criminal responsibility could be considered," said public prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud.

Lack of fire safety inspections

The municipality of Crans-Montana has acknowledged that mandatory fire safety inspections were not carried out at the bar since 2019.

Municipal officials involved are now represented by lawyers and are not responding to media inquiries.

In the Valais region, where officials in smaller municipalities often know one another and many residents are connected through political party networks, concerns about favoritism and cronyism are frequently raised.

Critics have called for the investigation to be handed to a special prosecutor from outside the area

Pilloud has rejected the demand, saying there are neither objective nor legal grounds for such a step.

Photo: archive