Waitress Who Escaped Swiss Bar Fire Speaks Out With Chilling Claims

A surviving employee of the Swiss ski resort bar where 40 people perished in a devastating fire on New Year’s Day has made horrifying claims about the establishment.

On January 18, Louise Leguistin, a 25-year-old French national, described the dangerous working conditions inside the basement nightclub, alleging that the staff was never trained.

The woman was the only employee known to have escaped the fire unharmed.

The only surviving staff member of the Swiss ski resort claimed there was zero fire safety training

Interior of a dimly lit Swiss bar with neon signs where a waitress escaped a tragic fire incident.

Image credits: BFMTV

Speaking to the police for the first time, Louise claimed she started working at the bar on December 11, 2025, and was given no instructions on fire safety, emergency exits, or the use of sparkler candles.

“I didn’t know if there was a fire extinguisher upstairs or downstairs,” she said, according to BFM TV.

“No one ever told me anything about the sparklers.”

Interior of Swiss bar with stone wall counter and hanging glasses, related to waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire claims.

Image credits: BFMTV

She further alleged that the staff regularly handled champagne bottles fitted with sparklers as part of choreographed “luxury” service routines, but they were never informed about the risks.

Louise explained that she mistook a service door for an emergency exit and had no idea that a door behind which victims were later found lifeless was locked from the inside.

The survivor claimed that the fire broke out during the bottle parade as the staff’s view was obstructed

Two women posing inside a dimly lit bar with neon lighting, related to waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire story.

Image credits: marcelvandenber

Comment discussing lack of emergency exits and fire safety rules related to Swiss bar fire waitress claims.

According to Louise, the fire began around 1:10 a.m., when a group of customers requested a bottle parade involving about a dozen champagne bottles brought out at once.

She explained that venue co-owner Jessica Moretti asked staff to “liven things up” after a quiet New Year’s Eve. About seven or eight employees, wearing costumes and masks, formed a procession carrying bottles fitted with lit sparklers.

Crowded bar scene with people holding bottles and sparklers, related to waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire claims.

Image credits: TonyTruant01

Comment by user HighwayComfortable90 discussing fire safety negligence with foam decorations and fireworks in a bar setting.

Text post titled Incoming new safety rules written in blood by user Klemosda, discussing safety measures after fire incidents.

She shared that the procession was led by one of the victims, Cyane Panine, who sat on a colleague’s shoulders while holding bottles with lit sparklers.

“All of us were in disguise,” she said. “Helmets, masks — maybe our field of vision was reduced.”

Party scene with a waitress wearing a helmet and celebrating, holding sparklers and champagne bottles in a lively bar environment.

Image credits: TonyTruant01

With loud music playing and staff facing away from the bar area, Louise reported that no one immediately realized the ceiling’s soundproofing foam had caught fire.

“In the videos, you can see the fire start almost immediately,” she said. “We lost 30 to 35 seconds.”

By the time staff noticed, the flames had already spread.

“The smell remains in my nose”: Louise shared the moments of horror after escaping the blaze

Blurry scene of a Swiss bar fire with patrons in the foreground and bright flames engulfing part of the interior.

Image credits: ferozwala

Screenshot of a comment discussing limited fire extinguishers and blocked fire escapes at a Swiss bar incident.

Commenter expressing concern over regulator failures and the need for inspections to ensure safety standards in establishments.

While speaking to the investigators, Louise also shared that the aftermath of the blaze remains vivid in her mind.

“Since the events, I have had great difficulty sleeping,” she said.

“I constantly see the faces of the d*ad, of people I served. The smell remains in my nose.”

Burning building at night with silhouettes of people outside, related to waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire claims.

Image credits: SuisseAlert

After fleeing the bar, Louise crossed the street to another venue sheltering survivors. She explained seeing severely burned victims everywhere.

“There were burn victims everywhere, and the smell… it was horrific,” she said, adding that mirrors inside the bar reflected people’s injuries at them.

The investigators confirmed 34 out of 40 victims perished while trapped on the staircase

Silhouette of a person escaping through a window amidst intense flames during Swiss bar fire incident.

Image credits: catsnmouse

The investigators have since confirmed that 34 out of 40 victims passed away on the single staircase leading out of the basement, which had reportedly been narrowed by the bar’s owners.

As reported by Bored Panda, Cyane also succumbed after becoming trapped behind a locked service door.

Man and woman in dark jackets outside at night, the woman possibly the waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire giving statement.

Image credits: BFMTV

Comment discussing lack of safety inspections and fire risk at a Swiss bar from a waitress who escaped the fire.

Many victims were teenagers, at least 15 were under 18, and eight were younger than 16, per authorities.

Bar co-owner, Jacques Moretti, told investigators he found a pile of bodies when he unlocked the door.

“My stepdaughter Cyane was one of them,” he said, adding that he and her boyfriend attempted to resuscitate her outside for over an hour before paramedics pronounced her deceased.

Emergency responders and police at the scene near a Swiss bar with fire trucks after escape of waitress from fire incident.

Image credits: Mind_gymX

Scene of blocked street in Swiss town with people and officials near cordoned-off area after bar fire incident.

Jacques is currently in pre-trial detention and facing charges including manslaughter by negligence. He has been deemed a flight risk and will remain in custody for at least three months ahead of a trial scheduled for March.

Image credits: Cartman_Freedom

His co-owner, Jessica Moretti, is also under investigation. She has been banned from leaving Switzerland and is alleged to have fled the scene with the bar’s cash register on the night of the fire.

The authorities also confirmed that the venue had not undergone mandatory safety inspections for five years, a failure acknowledged by Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Féraud.

“What training, there was only 1 exit open,” wrote one netizen

Comment from waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire sharing chilling claims about locked emergency exits and safety concerns.

Comment by user Tom Kuzmo discussing lack of safety training and importance of knowing exits in workplaces.

Person sharing thoughts about security in Switzerland in a casual online chat about a Swiss bar fire escape.

Comment discussing safety inspections and emergency exits related to the Swiss bar fire escape claims.

Comment about safety training warning against lighting incendiary devices inside buildings, related to waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire

Comment from a waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire, highlighting safety concerns about the limited exit options during the incident.

Comment on staff duty and safe evacuation during Swiss bar fire from a waitress who escaped, sharing chilling claims.

Comment from waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire giving advice on fire extinguisher location and evacuating premises safely.

Comment by Herbert Jung expressing concern about neglect and calling for harsh sentencing related to Swiss bar fire incident.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing fire exits and safety issues related to Swiss bar fire escape.

Waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire commenting on workplace training in a social media message with reactions.

Comment by Alison Gee discussing fire safety concerns after waitress who escaped Swiss bar fire shares chilling claims.

Comment from Carol Lewzey warning staff should be trained for emergencies and never have fire inside a building after Swiss bar fire.

Screenshot of a social media comment reacting to claims from a waitress who escaped a Swiss bar fire.

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