No flight risk Bar owner couple not remanded in custody for the time being
Following the fatal fire in the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana VS, the couple who ran it are the focus of investigators - but a remand in custody is off the table for the time being.
04.01.2026, 19:52
SDA
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- The Valais public prosecutor's office currently sees no grounds for pre-trial detention against the couple running the "Le Constellation" bar, as there is no risk of escape, repetition or collusion.
- The two are being investigated for involuntary manslaughter, assault and causing a conflagration, whereby the presumption of innocence applies until a verdict is reached.
- The fire in the bar is said to have been started by sparklers on champagne bottles.
The criteria for remanding the couple running the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana VS in custody are currently not met. This was stated by the Valais public prosecutor's office on Sunday, two days after the charges were brought.
There is currently no suspicion that the accused are trying to evade criminal proceedings or an expected sentence by fleeing. The other criteria such as risk of recidivism or collusion are also out of the question, explained Attorney General Béatrice Pilloud.
On Saturday, the Valais public prosecutor's office opened a criminal investigation against the couple who ran the bar. They are accused of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligently causing a fire. The presumption of innocence applies until a final conviction is handed down.
According to the public prosecutor's office, all indications are that the fire started from "sparklers" placed on champagne bottles. According to pictures on social media, a person on the shoulders of another person is said to have accidentally set the ceiling on fire. Investigators are now focusing, among other things, on the material of the acoustic panels that were attached to the ceiling.
The municipality of Crans-Montana is acting as a civil plaintiff in the criminal investigation. The municipality wants the tragedy to be fully clarified quickly.
