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34
Fate Of Waitress Who Allegedly Started Swiss Ski Resort Fire That Claimed 40 Lives Revealed
In the early hours of January 1, 40 people perished in the fire at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, while more than 100 were left injured, many suffering serious burns.
The bar’s owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are awaiting a possible trial on a range of charges, including manslaughter and causing bodily harm by negligence.
Highlights
- Cyane Panine, 24, is believed to have accidentally started the fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana.
- The accident involving lit sparklers claimed the lives of 40 young people and left more than 100 with severe burn injuries.
- Cyane was reportedly working under the direction of the bar’s co-owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti.
RELATED:
New details have emerged about the waitress believed to have accidentally started the fatal Swiss bar fire
Image credits: le20hfrancetel
Jacques is currently in custody, while Jessica has been banned from leaving Switzerland before the trial.
Jessica is reported to have fled the scene following the tragedy, driving herself home with the till containing the night’s cash earnings.
The blaze is believed to have started when a waitress sat on a colleague’s shoulders holding two champagne bottles with sparklers attached. Flames from the sparklers then ignited soundproofing foam on the ceiling of the basement bar.
Image credits: bequillarde_
The waitress believed to have accidentally started the Swiss bar blaze has now been confirmed as one of the young people who lost their lives in the New Year’s Eve fire.
Cyane Panine, a 24-year-old French national who was close to the Morettis, has been identified as one of the victims.
Jacques described Cyane, the girlfriend of a close family friend, as a “stepdaughter,” adding that he had raised her partner like one of his own children.
The fire was caused by lit sparklers attached to champagne bottles, two of which were being carried by Cyane Panine
Image credits: TonyTruant01
The 49-year-old bar owner told investigators that when he unlocked the door after the fatal blaze, he discovered a pile of bodies on the floor, including that of the waitress Cyane.
Jacques also claimed that he only became aware that the Constellation’s door to the basement was “locked from the inside and on a latch” after the fire.
“We forced it open – it finally gave way in a few seconds. When the door opened, several people were lying on the floor, unconscious,” he said.
“My stepdaughter Cyane was one of them. We pulled them all outside and put them in the recovery position.”
Image credits: Johnny Metteko
He and Cyane’s boyfriend “tried to resuscitate her for more than an hour in the street near the bar, until the emergency services told [them] it was too late.” An hour later, she was pronounced deceased.
According to Jessica, Cyane had spent Christmas with the Morettis, and the couple is “devastated” by her loss.
The 24-year-old was reportedly working under the Morettis’ instructions before the blaze.
Cyane was reportedly instructed by the bar’s owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, to “get the atmosphere going”
Image credits: SumitHansd
She had been told to “get the atmosphere going” because the night had been “very quiet,” with few people entering the bar to celebrate the New Year, according to police statements obtained by BFMTV.
The owners’ instructions reportedly involved encouraging waitresses to place sparklers in champagne bottles.
Image credits: SumitHansd
“I was just telling Cyane that we needed to bring in more people to liven things up,” Jessica said.
Jacques told authorities that the bar had used sparklers for a decade without any accidents. The night of the tragedy was not the first time that waitstaff had sat on their colleagues’ shoulders with lit sparklers.
Cyane’s family issued a statement through their lawyers, as per Tages-Anzeiger.
“Whatever the investigation reveals, this young woman followed her employer’s instructions,” it read.
“She did what the manager asked of her. This was nothing unusual. This young employee bears no responsibility whatsoever.”
Authorities stated that the bar in the popular ski location had not undergone safety inspections for five years.
The co-owners, who are French nationals, are suspected of manslaughter
Image credits: gauchecaca
Jacques told investigators that he went to the patio behind the bar after the blaze broke out and tried to get inside, but it was “impossible” because “there was far too much smoke.”
Cyane’s parents, Astrid and Jerôme, reportedly accused Jacques of intentionally closing the door to prevent revelers from sneaking in without paying.
“The tables cost 1,000 euros. And if you can’t even put a guard at that door…If the door had been open, maybe there wouldn’t have been any d*aths,” Astrid told French broadcaster France 3 Occitanie.
Jerôme described his daughter as a “ray of sunshine,” adding, “For us, the sun didn’t rise again in 2026. There’s a time for sadness and a time for anger. I think the anger will quickly take over.”
Image credits: gauchecaca
34 of the 40 victims reportedly lost their lives on the single staircase leading up from the basement.
Many of the victims were under 20 years old, with eight being younger than 16.
“They were trapped on the tiny staircase as everyone fought to get out, but they were unable to escape,” said one source involved in the inquiry.
Jacques will spend at least the next three months in prison after he was deemed a flight risk. A trial has been scheduled for March.
Under Swiss law, venues like Le Constellation should undergo safety checks annually. Cans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud said last week that he could not explain why this had not been the case with the ski resort bar.
New Year’s Fire Kills 40 at Swiss Ski Resort Bar
Must Watch
A fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Killing at least 40 people and injuring 119, mostly young partygoers aged 16 to 26.#SwissFire#CransMontanapic.twitter.com/s2XWMc2En4
— Sumit (@SumitHansd) January 3, 2026
“We regret that – we owe it to the families and we will accept the responsibility,” said Mayor Feraud, as per the BBC, adding that sparklers should not have been allowed inside.
Romain Jordan, an attorney who represents some of the families, said the “staggering number of breaches and shortcomings in the inspections raises the question of whether the municipality should be investigated with even greater urgency.”
Le Constellation was a venue popular with a younger crowd in Crans-Montana, located in the southwestern Valais canton, where the drinking age is 16.
Jessica has apologized to the victims and their families. She told reporters, “This was an unthinkable tragedy and never could we have imagined this. It happened in our bar and I want to say I’m sorry.”
“Ultimately, the owners are responsible,” one Facebook user commented
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What do you think ?
KatSaidThat 20 hours ago (edited)
Sure, we're only going to blame the waitress despite this building being an H&S hazard for years and no inspections? How many times had they done this sparkler c**p before they got unlucky with this one? This was a tragic accident that would not have happened if the building had been fire inspected, the ceiling was not foam and this kind of shenanigan was not allowed for those exact fricking safety reasons. Not the first time a club has gone up in flames because of indoor sparklers and fireworks - you would think people would have learned by now. She also lost her life.
G A 18 hours ago
Agreed. A lot of drunken young people in a firetrap. Add in fireworks it was a perfect storm. Poor kids. All dead due to a poor decision. Blame the owners and the authorities for their lax behaviour, not one poor dead girl.
Load More Replies...
Earonn - 18 hours ago
They're dragging the waitress into the spotlight while it was the owners who locked emergency exits? Yeah, tracks, capitalism. Can't have the rich guys make to pay for the deaths they caused, righto?
Marie 53 minutes ago
Yes, the article angle is trash. But I highly doubt the owners will get out of it, it will be long, but they will be convicted in the end. And at least the local autorities have publicly recognized they failed to do proper controls, it should make investigation a little easier.
Load More Replies...
Robin Roper 19 hours ago
I will never forget The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island. One February 20, 2003, pyrotechnics from the band Great White ignited flammable foam, k*****g 100 people and injuring hundreds. Where are the fire inspectors? Where is common sense? Having live sparkers in such a situation is unconscionable and the fault is 100% on the owners and managers. This young woman was doing what the management and owners expected her to do - get out in the crowd and encourage fun and frivolity. She will forever hold guilt and blame for this; it is sad.
Trillian 19 hours ago
The article is written badly because it was easy to overlook, but the young waitress died in the fire. So easy to blame her when she can't speak up anymore.
Load More Replies...
Ejteh 19 hours ago
When there is a fire, and you are in the room with the fire, keep your ffing phone in your pocket and RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.
Laserleader 17 hours ago (edited)
That is why fire safety codes were made, with one rule, DONT BLOCK OR LOCK THE EXIT. Thats it! whomever allowed the only exit door to be locked is to blame, doesnt matter if it was the original contractor or the negligent owners. Doesn't matter if it had always been like that tor it was just that night.
Casey England 17 hours ago
The amount of people standing around filming while the fire is spreading and people are desperately trying to get out is concerning, to say the least.
Deborah B 10 hours ago
Indoor fireworks are nothing new. The poor waitress clearly thought nothing of being instructed to use them. The soundproofing foam should have been fire-retardant. It's basicly a legal requirement for any soft furnishings in commercial property/public settings to be ignition resistant. A spark is not supposed to be able to start a fire. If the building owners had used the required standard of materials, and the inspections had been preformed, the fire should not have been able to start under those circumstances.
Anne Edwards 12 hours ago
The owners bear the responsibility of not maintaining the property correctly, not having proper evacuation/emergency procedures, licensing errors and shortfalls. The person showing in the multiple videos with sparklers stuck into wine or champagne bottles fashioned like the tiki torches shows that they were stuck into the ceiling repeatedly causing what appeared to be multiple fires. She just kept on doing it until she managed to exit the premises with all of the money. At the very least she shares equal blame and responsibility for the deaths and injuries.
Tams21 16 hours ago
One of the exits was locked, the owners are both alive, under investigation for negligence with one in custody and the mayor of the town admitted that there hadn't been an inspection for five years. I think there's plenty lessons that can be learned and people to be held accountable without involving a 24 year old waitress who was probably tired, stressed and maybe even felt pressured to do what she did. She can't even defend herself.
Lee Gilliland 17 hours ago
Blame the waitress because it was fairly obvious the drunk customers started it? I don't think so.
Shortstuff 13 hours ago
Hard to believe the place was on fire, and customers were standing there filming it instead of immediately leaving!
Viky 14 hours ago
It is inhuman and horrible to write and publish this article. The fault is clearly of the owners of the bar, of the authorities and of everyone responsible for the safety of that place for sure not of a poor girl who was accomplishing her job. You should’ve sued for publishing her name
KatSaidThat 20 hours ago (edited)
Sure, we're only going to blame the waitress despite this building being an H&S hazard for years and no inspections? How many times had they done this sparkler c**p before they got unlucky with this one? This was a tragic accident that would not have happened if the building had been fire inspected, the ceiling was not foam and this kind of shenanigan was not allowed for those exact fricking safety reasons. Not the first time a club has gone up in flames because of indoor sparklers and fireworks - you would think people would have learned by now. She also lost her life.
G A 18 hours ago
Agreed. A lot of drunken young people in a firetrap. Add in fireworks it was a perfect storm. Poor kids. All dead due to a poor decision. Blame the owners and the authorities for their lax behaviour, not one poor dead girl.
Load More Replies... Earonn - 18 hours ago
They're dragging the waitress into the spotlight while it was the owners who locked emergency exits? Yeah, tracks, capitalism. Can't have the rich guys make to pay for the deaths they caused, righto?
Marie 53 minutes ago
Yes, the article angle is trash. But I highly doubt the owners will get out of it, it will be long, but they will be convicted in the end. And at least the local autorities have publicly recognized they failed to do proper controls, it should make investigation a little easier.
Load More Replies... Robin Roper 19 hours ago
I will never forget The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island. One February 20, 2003, pyrotechnics from the band Great White ignited flammable foam, k*****g 100 people and injuring hundreds. Where are the fire inspectors? Where is common sense? Having live sparkers in such a situation is unconscionable and the fault is 100% on the owners and managers. This young woman was doing what the management and owners expected her to do - get out in the crowd and encourage fun and frivolity. She will forever hold guilt and blame for this; it is sad.
Trillian 19 hours ago
The article is written badly because it was easy to overlook, but the young waitress died in the fire. So easy to blame her when she can't speak up anymore.
Load More Replies... Ejteh 19 hours ago
When there is a fire, and you are in the room with the fire, keep your ffing phone in your pocket and RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.
Laserleader 17 hours ago (edited)
That is why fire safety codes were made, with one rule, DONT BLOCK OR LOCK THE EXIT. Thats it! whomever allowed the only exit door to be locked is to blame, doesnt matter if it was the original contractor or the negligent owners. Doesn't matter if it had always been like that tor it was just that night.
Casey England 17 hours ago
The amount of people standing around filming while the fire is spreading and people are desperately trying to get out is concerning, to say the least.
Deborah B 10 hours ago
Indoor fireworks are nothing new. The poor waitress clearly thought nothing of being instructed to use them. The soundproofing foam should have been fire-retardant. It's basicly a legal requirement for any soft furnishings in commercial property/public settings to be ignition resistant. A spark is not supposed to be able to start a fire. If the building owners had used the required standard of materials, and the inspections had been preformed, the fire should not have been able to start under those circumstances.
Anne Edwards 12 hours ago
The owners bear the responsibility of not maintaining the property correctly, not having proper evacuation/emergency procedures, licensing errors and shortfalls. The person showing in the multiple videos with sparklers stuck into wine or champagne bottles fashioned like the tiki torches shows that they were stuck into the ceiling repeatedly causing what appeared to be multiple fires. She just kept on doing it until she managed to exit the premises with all of the money. At the very least she shares equal blame and responsibility for the deaths and injuries.
Tams21 16 hours ago
One of the exits was locked, the owners are both alive, under investigation for negligence with one in custody and the mayor of the town admitted that there hadn't been an inspection for five years. I think there's plenty lessons that can be learned and people to be held accountable without involving a 24 year old waitress who was probably tired, stressed and maybe even felt pressured to do what she did. She can't even defend herself.
Lee Gilliland 17 hours ago
Blame the waitress because it was fairly obvious the drunk customers started it? I don't think so.
Shortstuff 13 hours ago
Hard to believe the place was on fire, and customers were standing there filming it instead of immediately leaving!
Viky 14 hours ago
It is inhuman and horrible to write and publish this article. The fault is clearly of the owners of the bar, of the authorities and of everyone responsible for the safety of that place for sure not of a poor girl who was accomplishing her job. You should’ve sued for publishing her name
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