Crans-Montana fire: Victims’ lawyer seeks expansion of criminal probe

GENEVA – Switzerland’s criminal investigation into

a fire in a bar in the ski town of Crans-Montana

should be broadened to include the local authorities, a lawyer acting for some of the victims said, adding he would seek millions in compensation.

The fire killed 40 people, most of them teenagers, and injured 116.

Mr Romain Jordan, who represents more than 20 burn victims from the New Year’s blaze, said he would claim damages of up to several million for each injury and up to 100,000 Swiss francs (S$161,355) for each death.

“For me, there is absolutely no doubt that the municipality must be put on the list of those responsible and it should be asked to give answers,” Mr Jordan said in an interview late on Jan 12, adding that he expected total claims in the hundreds of millions of francs.

“What is certain is that we will request for (officials) to be heard (by prosecutors), to obtain the documents, for the full correspondence, to understand how so many errors, so many safeguards that are normally in place in a risk management system, could all fail.”

The mayor’s office for Crans-Montana did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Annual safety checks missed

Prosecutors believe sparkling candles set the soundproof foam on the basement ceiling of “Le Constellation” bar alight early on New Year’s Day. Panicked crowds then fled up a narrow staircase to a narrow exit, which became a fatal choke point as the inferno spread, witnesses said.

The town’s mayor said last week that the venue had

missed multiple annual safety checks

, and expressed regret.

For now, only the French owners are under investigation for crimes including suspected negligent homicide. The couple, Mr Jacques Moretti and Ms Jessica Moretti, say they are cooperating with the investigation and have voiced grief over the tragedy. The husband

has been detained

.

Mr Jordan called it a “bad joke” that the upscale town sought to be a party in the case - a request that has not been granted. “That cynicism hurt the families.”

Mr Jordan’s clients are Swiss, French and Italian and most were injured, with all but two of them in artificial comas or unresponsive in European hospitals.

“They (the families) feel like they are in a nightmare from which they will never wake up, and what they ask me for is answers about who is responsible,” he said.

Under Swiss law, victims of a criminal act can seek emergency financial assistance, but Mr Jordan said a state fund was needed to cover further expenses until a ruling.

“Ideally, there should be direct compensation for victims – no double punishment.” REUTERS