Owner of Swiss ski bar where inferno killed 41 people arrested over domestic assault 'that left wife in hospital'
Jacques Moretti was arrested over alleged domestic abuse against his wife Jessica Moretti, months after the bar fire that claimed 41 lives
One of the owners of a Swiss bar that caught fire during New Year's celebrations, killing 41 people, has been arrested on suspicion of domestic assault against his wife and business partner.
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Jacques Moretti, 49, has been placed in pre-trial detention over allegations of violence against his wife, Jessica, 41, who co-owned the Swiss bar that claimed the lives of party-goers, according to local media.
The couple are among 16 people facing criminal investigation over the deadly blaze that left a further 115 injured at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
The individuals being probed are currently facing charges including manslaughter by negligence and arson by negligence and come amid suggestions that Jacques and Jessica Moretti fled the fire without warning partygoers, prosecutors have said.
The latest domestic assault charges against Jacques are linked to an incident which is alleged to have taken place at the couple's Swiss home on August 11.
Jessica Moretti's injuries are said to have been so extensive that she had to be hospitalised, Swiss media reports.
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The Moretti's lawyers released a statement on Sunday evening making reference to the police report, stressing that the alleged events were being investigated in a separate case linked "exclusively to their private life".
"They should not be confused with the Constellation tragedy," the lawyers said in the statement.
Jacques is now being held 'in pre-trial detention' as he faces several domestic violence charges.
The lawyers added that the reported events "nevertheless fall within a context that cannot be ignored: that of a particularly intense ordeal that the Morettis have been trying to face together since January 1".
It comes after video footage from the night of the bar fire showed Jessica Moretti, co-owner of the bar with her husband, escaping up the stairs towards the fire exit after she spotted the blaze, prosecutors alleged.
Fabrizio Ventimiglia, the prosecutor representing 16-year-old survivor Sofia Donadio, said: "What makes me angry is she does not help anyone and does not stop anyone entering – she doesn't say anything, and I believe she had a moral, ethical and legal obligation to do so."
The fire is believed to have been caused after staff waved champagne bottles topped with sparklers too close to the ceiling.
Ms Moretti told prosecutors she left the bar to call the fire service, and said her intention was to come back when the bar had been evacuated.
The Times reported that Mr Ventimiglia asked in response: 'Why didn't she block people who continued to enter? That's serious."
Ms Moretti also said one of the security guards, Stefan Ivanovic, knew where the fire extinguishers were.
But Mr Ventimiglia said the video showed Ivanovic and the DJ – both victims of the fire – hunting for the extinguishers.
"At first they can't find them, then the DJ finds one but it's too late," he said.
Ms Moretti and her husband Jacques are under criminal investigation, facing charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence.
If charged and found guilty of manslaughter they could spent up to 20 years in prison.
Investigators believe the fire was caused after the sparklers came too close to the ceiling, which was fitted with soundproof material.
They are investigating whether the ceiling was consistent with regulations and if the candles were permitted to be used in the bar.
Local authorities said there hadn't been any fire safety inspections of the bar since 2019.