Swiss Bar Owners Mourn Waitress 'Like Family' Among 40 Victims Trapped Behind Locked Door

Table of Contents

• Incident Overview
• Victims and Eyewitness Accounts
• Investigation Details
• Legal Consequences
• Memorials and Community Response

A WAITRESS who was considered “like family” was discovered among individuals trapped behind a locked door during a fire at a Swiss ski resort that claimed 40 lives.

Jessica and Jacques Moretti, a married couple and co-owners of Le Constellation, shared the distressing details of that night with investigators.

Cyane Panine was a victim of the Le Constellation disaster The moment the sparklers ignited the ceiling of the nightclubCredit: Enterprise Owners of Le Constellation bar Jacques and Jessica Moretti arrive for a hearing at the Office of the public prosecutorCredit: AFP

Reports indicate that 34 of the 40 bodies were found stacked at the base of a narrow staircase, as stated by 20 Minuten .

Jessica described the initial part of the night as “very quiet,” with only a few guests present at midnight to ring in the New Year, according to police reports obtained by BFMTV.

“I was just telling Cyane [a waitress] that we needed to encourage more people to come in and create a lively atmosphere,” Jessica recalled.

The Morettis regarded Cyane, who was 24, as a family member.

She had spent Christmas with them just days prior to the tragic incident.

Jessica noted that groups began to fill the venue, and she estimated there were nearly a hundred guests at the bar.

At one point, she noticed an “orange light in the corner of the bar.”

“I immediately shouted, ‘Everyone out!’ and thought to call the fire department right away.”

She contacted emergency services at 1:28 AM and instructed security personnel to evacuate everyone.

She then called her husband Jacques, who arrived at the scene shortly thereafter.

He attempted to enter the building but found it “impossible” due to the heavy smoke.

Instead, he and two others went to a service door on the ground floor, which was “closed and locked” from the inside.

If authorities determine that the couple knowingly kept the door locked and were aware of the risks, they could face additional charges.

The couple may be charged with murder by implied malice.

If convicted, the owners could face up to 20 years in prison.

The nightclub during renovation – soundproofing is visible on the ceiling Massive flames engulf the ceiling and soundproofing at Le Constellation barCredit: x.com A waitress holding a sparkling champagne bottle on a man's shouldersCredit: Enterprise

He discovered the victims when he unlocked the door after the devastating fire, including waitress Cyane.

Jacques recounted the heartbreaking moment he tried to save her life.

“Her boyfriend and I attempted to resuscitate her outside on the street for over an hour until the paramedics informed us