Fire catastrophe in Switzerland: Crans-Montana bar proprietor in custody | EUROtoday

After the devastating hearth in a bar in Crans-Montana, one in every of its homeowners is in Pretrial detention. The 49-year-old Corsican had beforehand been questioned as a witness together with his spouse, who can be co-owner of the bar “Le Constellation”. According to media stories, the person was ordered to be taken into custody instantly after the interrogation. According to the general public prosecutor’s workplace within the canton of Valais, the Frenchman is liable to fleeing. A coercive measures court docket should affirm the pre-trial detention throughout the subsequent 48 hours.

“Based on his statements, his previous CV and his personal situation in Switzerland and abroad, the public prosecutor’s office considered the risk of escape to be real,” the general public prosecutor’s workplace stated in regards to the arrest of the bar operator. His spouse was not taken into custody.

The arrest additionally brings the bar operator’s previous into focus. As a number of French and Swiss media shops have persistently reported, he has been recognized to the French judiciary for years. He is alleged to have been sentenced to a partial jail sentence in France in 2008 for inciting prostitution. While he was not allowed to run corporations in France on account of his felony document, that is allowed in Switzerland.

The co-owner of the bar in the meantime publicly apologized for the hearth catastrophe: “This is an unimaginable tragedy. Never, really never in our lives could we have imagined this,” she stated after being questioned by the general public prosecutor’s workplace in Sion. “This happened at our facility and I apologize.” Her ideas had been at all times with the victims and people combating the results of the catastrophe.

Swiss Federal President requires full clarification

The public prosecutor’s workplace is investigating the 2 bar homeowners on suspicion of crimes comparable to negligent murder, whereas the victims’ households have filed a felony criticism over the hearth on the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana. In the accident on New Year’s Eve, 40 folks, largely younger, had been killed and greater than 100 others had been injured.

At the memorial service for the victims of the hearth catastrophe, Swiss President Guy Parmelin known as for an entire clarification of what occurred. Misconduct should be uncovered “without delay and without leniency.” It is vital to be taught classes and make sure the biggest attainable safety in public services sooner or later, stated Parmelin. The head of presidency of the Swiss canton of Valais, Mathias Reynard, apologized to the kin on the funeral service.