Tragedy brought people together in Crans-Montana and brought the country to a standstill. On Friday, just down the road from the bar where 40 young people were killed by fire on New Year's Eve, church bells rang in their memory, marking a national day of mourning that resonated throughout Switzerland.
As the last notes of a special memorial faded, news broke that one of the bar's owners had been detained. Jacques Moretti, a French national, is now facing serious accusations including manslaughter and negligence.
The community's grief is palpable, with many victims' families openly expressing their anger as they demand accountability more than a week after the disaster. During the memorial, Marie, a survivor, recalled the horrifying scene, describing it as apocalyptic with screams echoing against the icy cold night as flames engulfed the bar.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, focusing on safety compliance issues that have been raised repeatedly over the years. Recent reports revealed that the local authorities had not conducted mandatory safety checks on the establishment for five years, adding to the swell of public outrage.
At the memorial in Martigny, family members of the deceased gathered alongside survivors, holding white roses and supporting one another through shared grief. The presidents of France and Italy, countries whose citizens were among the victims, stood in solidarity, pledging their commitment to justice.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed that the tragedy was not an accident but a result of systemic failures, demanding thorough investigations to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
For now, the focus remains on the ongoing legal proceedings against Moretti and his wife, Jessica, as the families of victims continue to grapple with their loss. The bar remains under wraps, hidden behind plastic sheets, while life gradually returns to normal in the snowy streets of Crans-Montana. Still, the pain of loss lingers, as tributes continue to grow in remembrance of those who were lost.
